Bad Romance
by Brim Wraith
Summary: Naruko wants one thing: to be the first female hokage! But being teamed with an uptight Uchiha and a fangirl with bubblegum hair will make that hard apparently, especially when love gets involved. Rated for Naruko's mouth and later on.
1. Enter Naruko: HBIC of Konoha

**Down own Naruto, okay I went back and edited my mistakes so hopefully things will be better, chapter 2 will be up soon. Hope you all enjoy!**

"Hehehe, if this doesn't get their attention nothing will! Hehehe!" A goggled blonde haired girl was giggling to herself as she hung from a flimsy rope off the famous hokage monument, a mountain with effigies of the past hokages.

"Hokage-sama!" Hiruzen Sarutobi flinched at the loudness of the voice trying to get his attention and incidentally messed up his calligraphy stroke making the almost perfect scroll he was working on look like a man with seizures was working on it.

"...yes? What is it? Naruko up to some new shenanigans I presume?" The two assistants nodded confirming Sarutobi's suspicion.

"That little succubus is graffitiing the hokage monument – your honored predecessors!"

"IN PAINT!" Another assistant screamed as Sarutobi donned his hokage robe and hat.

'...It is just me or am I the only hokage who ever wore this outfit regularly?" Sarutobi thought absently as he walked to where a small crowd was gathering watching as the thirteen year old was giggling to herself. She turned to the onlookers and pulled up her goggles revealing her lovely blue eyes which were full of mischief.

"SUCKERS! LOOSERS!! You all don't have what it takes to do something this badass! Bow before the queen!"

"How dare you!" Some of the villagers were yelling as the hokage walked up shortly followed by Iruka who arrived in a puff of smoke.

"Hokage-sama, I apologize profusely..."

"Oh is that you Iruka? Didn't notice you show up, take care of Naruko will you please? You seem to be the only one that can **actually** catch her." Iruka took and deep breath and screamed at Naruko who had turned back to her painting not noticing the academy teacher's arrival.

"What do you think you're doing you idiot? Get down there and get back to class!" The sheer volume of Iruka's voice carried over to where Naruko was tethered and nearly made her fall.

"Oh shit! Iruka-sensei?! Shit, shit, shit! I'm so screwed....or maybe not hehehe." Naruko pulled out a kunai she had in a pouch on her sandal and cut the rope holding her up allowing her to land on the roof of the observation booth below the monument and take off into the village making Iruka sigh.

'Why can't she be like the other girls in class?' He thought before bowing to the hokage and taking off after his wayward student, three other chunin following behind.

"Forty-five minutes, we had to chase you for forty-five minutes Naruko." Irkua said as he dragged his tied up student back to their academy classroom. Naruko sat there in front of everyone, tied up and matching Iruka's angry glare with one of her own. Most of the class was expecting lightning to shoot from each their eyes and connect they were glaring at each other so hard.

"Tomorrow all of your classmates will pass the final and graduate from the ninja academy. But the last two times this day came around, you flunked every course you'd taken but the taijutsu portion....so you choose now for your stupid tricks? **You moron!**" Naruko just looked away from him and sighed as if she had done this a thousand times...which wasn't far from the truth.

"Sir, yes, sir!" Iruka's eye twitched at the blatant disrespect his student was showing and he noticed the other students were giving him funny looks.

"Today in class we'll be having a pop henge quiz thanks to our local knuckle-headed blonde."

"HEY!"

"Not you Yamanaka Ino, I was referring to Naruko. All you all have to do is...conjure a form that looks like me! Now line up!"

Iruka untied Naruko and allowed her to get in line with the rest of her class-mates. Some of them grumbled but a growl from Naruko shut them up. It was known throughout the village that Naruko had a vicious short temper and was seen a mini-Tsunade due to her herculean strength.

"Right, well done. Next up, Uzumaki."

"This is all your fault Naruko!!" Someone yelled from the back. Naruko cracked her knuckles and looked towards where the voice came from.

"...Eat me."

"Naruko, langauge!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Well, here goes nothing..." She placed her hands into the Ram handseal and drew chakra from within herself, some of it even became visible much to Iruka's amazement.

"HENGE!" A cloud of smoke covered Naruko's body and from the smoke emerged a much older nude woman with red hair and green eyes making not only Iruka but most of the male students rocket backwards from nose bleeds. Naruko was on the ground in her normal thirteen year old form laughing, her legs kicking back and forth.

"I can't believe I got you Iruka-sensei! I call that one my sexy justu! Don't remember where I got the girl from but still good enough for now! Ha ha ha ha!"

"HOW BIG OF A IDIOT ARE YOU?!" Iruka screamed, his big head jutsu was now in effect making most of the other students cover their ears from the sheer volume while Naruko's pigtails were being blown back.

"You waste all your time and talent inventing these stupid tricks!!" Iruka dismissed the class and grabbed Naruko by her ear dragging her to the hokage monument where a bucket of soapy water was waiting. About two hours had passed and Naruko had only finished cleaning the pain off the first and second hokage's face.

"The sooner you get done the sooner you can go home!" Naruko looked up and Iruka and he could see she was upset, not temper tantrum upset but actually pissed upset.

"So? Not like I got anyone fucking waiting at home for me." Naruko went back to scrubbing the paint off and Iruka could hear her grumbling and growling as she scrubbed harder.

"Language young lady!...Naruko..."

"What now?!" Her canines, which were longer than a normal persons were showing as she bared her teeth at Iruka who sighed knowing he hit a soft spot with her and needed to make it up somehow.

"How about this? You finish and I'll buy you a bowl of ramen. **A **bowl of ramen!" Iruka noticed her face light up with joy as she jumped up and screamed.

"Now that's fucking motivation! Hell yeah!"

"LANGUAGE YOUNG LADY!" Iruka made up his mind at that point...he never, ever, ever wanted a daughter.

Iruka watched with amazement as Naruko slurped up whole mouth-fulls of noodles, unlike most of the other girls in class Naruko wasn't into the whole diet fad thing for that Iruka was silently glad for. They did more harm then good.

"Naruko?"

She turned to face him, a large amount of noodles hanging from her mouth which she immediately slurped up, licking up any leftover broth that was on her lips.

"Why of all places would you choose to deface the hokage monument? I mean you know who they are right?" Naruko gave him a look that said duh making Iruka regret asking the question.

"Of course, to inherit the hokage name you have to be the best shinobi in the village, the crème de la crème. It was the fourth hokage who defeated the demon fox while the first hokage built the village."

"Okay then, why, knowing all that did you do it?"

"Because..." Naruko finished her noodles and lifted the bowl to her lips chugging the broth down. A meal like this was always welcome and she made sure to finish everything.

"One day, I'm gonna be the first female hokage." Naruko stood on her stool with one foot up on the counter pointing her chopsticks at Iruka.

"I'm gonna surpass every one of them! And when that happens people will have to give me some damn respect at last!"

"Langua--oh why do I even bother?" Iruka noticed that Naruko was giving him the puppy dog eyes meaning she wanted something from him.

"What do you want? Another bowl of ramen?" She shook her head, keeping up the puppy dog eyes and now making her bottom lip tremble.

"Your headband...can I try it on?" Iruka's eyes went up to the piece of clothing that became apart of every ninja of the village and he smiled. He grabbed it and moved it making it catch the light of the overhead lamp.

"Sorry kiddo, no, not yet, and no way. This is a badge of adulthood. You don't get one until you graduate, that's the law."

"....what a rip-off, Sakura and Ino are damn liars, puppy dog eyes and trembling lips don't do squat." Iruka laughed and noticed that her goggles were on the counter meaning she was planning to ask from the beginning.

"Naruko we gotta do something about your foul mouth." He said seeing as she was laying her chin on the counter in defeat.

The next day at the academy Naruko was laying her head down waiting for the final exam to start.

"Okay class, we're gonna do a two part exam this year. A taijutsu portion and a justu portion, where you will be tested on your ability to do a bunshin."

Naruko who had raised her head to listen slammed her forehead back down onto the desk upon hearing that she would have to make a clone. Clones were her worst technique.

"Now it's gonna be a one on one match against whoever I choose and an opponent of their choice. Taijutsu only, no jutsus or weapons. Now first up will be Naruko Uzumaki." Naruko shot up and clenched her fists in excitement making everyone but a few gulp in fright. The blonde haired girl was an absolute terror in close-combat as several students remembered.

"Now your opponent will be...Yamanaka Ino." Ino raised her hand immediately.

"Yes Ino?"

"Can I forfeit? I don't want a repeat of what happened to me last time."

"Well maybe if you had not called me a bitch you wouldn't have had to go to the hospital." Naruko said with a sadistic smile. Ino had insulted her because she had refused to move from her seat which was next to Sasuke, not because she liked Sasuke but because she was already comfortable and didn't want to move. So Ino called her a bitch and in their taijutsu match Ino was on the receiving end of a suplex causing her to have to go to the hospital for possible spine damage. Naruko was infamous in her class for finishing her fights with those types of moves.

"What? So no one is gonna fight me? And you call yourselves ninja?"

"I'll fight her sensei." Came a voice from the back making everyone turn around and see Sasuke looking dead at Naruko who smiled back.

"Are you sure Sasuke?" Iruka asked knowing full well the Uchiha was one of the few who could go against the blonde and come out okay. Sasuke merely nodded and stood up.

"Oi Iruka-sensei maybe you should have them have the match outside. Remember what happened the last time those two fought inside." Shikamaru said, for most of the class that was the most they had heard him say all year but they all knew why he decided to speak up, the last time Sasuke and Naruko sparred in the classroom a desk had landed on Shikamaru who was sleeping, surprisingly that wasn't the worst thing to happen.

"...okay how about we skip the taijutsu portion and move to the justu portion of the test? Naruko come with me to take your jutsu test." Naruko's mood went from okay to bad as she was hoping to get rid of some test anxiety with a good spar. Sasuke may have been an asshole in her eyes but damn if he wasn't a great sparring partner, only Lee was better but since he had graduated the year before Naruko was out of luck.

"Okay Naruko I need you to make at least three clones." Naruko was nervous, for some reason she could never do a proper clone so she hoped against hope that this time would be different. Naruko focused her chakra and a poof of smoke appeared next to her revealing a sickly looking clone that was begging for death. Naruko was horrified while Iruka sighed knowing that despite all appearances Naruko actually did try her best.

"Naruko, you fail."

"Iruka-sensei, this is her third time and she did manage a clone...even if it was flawed. I mean I'm not that great at clones myself, what if we just gave her a break?" Naruko's face lit up, maybe just maybe...

"The answer is no Mizuki."

...well, so much for that.

"Every student has to make three clones, Naruko only made one and the poor thing is begging to be killed for crying out loud! As much as I'd like to I can't pass her." Naruko was upset and walked towards the door.

"You don't have to talk about me like I'm not here." Naruko closed the door with such force the wall the door frame was on shook and the glass window of the door shattered.

Naruko watched as those kids who graduated were showered with praise by their parents and congratulated by the hokage while she sat on the swing which had become somewhat of a retreat for her. She noticed two women whispering and looking in her direction, it didn't take a genius to figure out they were talking about her. Naruko growled and got off the swing and punched the tree the swing was attached to. But what Naurko considered a tap a taijustu specialist would consider a haymaker punch as the tree now had a large hole in it. While this happened the hokage and Iruka watched, seemingly ignoring everything else around them.

"Iruka, could I have a word later?"

"Of course hokage-sama."

"Stupid ass test! stupid ass clones!" Naruko picked up a rock off the ground and threw it a a nearby fence, launching it clear through.

"Naruko?"

"Huh? Oh Mizuki-sensei, whats up?"

Mizuki motioned for her to follow him and she did her hands in her coat pocket.

"You know Iruka doesn't mean to be harsh to you, he just wants you to grow strong. You and him are a lot alike and he doesn't want you to go out there and not be ready."

"I know but...I really wanted to graduate."

"Well there is a way..."

Late that night Naruko was sneaking into the hokage's house and was busy sneaking into the room where the scrolls were being kept...that is until the lights were turned on.

"Naruko...what are you doing in house in the middle of the night?!"

"....um...uh...BEHOLD MY SEXY JUTSU!"

"AGH!!!!" Naruko ended her jutsu and noticed the hokage unconscious on the floor a puddle of blood around his head and a little leaking from his nose.

"...that actually worked on him?....note for future reference: old man hokage is a pervert. Now to find that damn scroll." Naruko dug through scroll after scroll until finally she found what she was looking for, one of the biggest of the scrolls and a large kanji for seal on it.

"Bingo, that headband is gonna be mine."

Naruko immediately took off towards the forest surrounding the village and after finding the clearing Mizuki was talking about opened up the scroll and began reading.

"Okay, first technique is...MULTIPLE CLONES! I SWEAR I CAN NEVER GET AWAY FROM THESE DAMN THINGS!"

Iruka lay there in bed staring at the full moon thinking back to not only his talk with the hokage but of his memory of the night he lost his parents. It was a full moon just like this one.

"_We've got to hold it off until the Yondaime gets here!" A shinobi yelled as two more launched themselves at the colossal-sized fox launching justsu after jutsu. _

_Iruka ran to go help his parents but a random shinobi grabbed him and began taking off away from the battlefield._

"_LET ME GO! Mom and Dad, they're still fighting the demon!!"_

A knock at his apartment door shook him out of his thoughts. Iruka groaned as he got out of bed. He opened the door and to his surprise he saw Mizuki.

"Mizuki? Whats up?"

"Bad news I'm afraid. It's Naruko, I'm afraid she somehow found out about the sealed scroll and stole it!" Iruka couldn't believe it.

'Why would Naruko do such a thing?' He thought as he pulled on his sandals and zipped up his flak jacket.

"Let's go Mizuki."

Iruka and Mizuki could see nearly a dozen chunin and a few jonin standing in front of the hokage arguing about what had happened.

"Hokage-sama, painting the hokage monument is one thing but this is the sealed scroll we're talking about! This time she's gone too far!"

"ENOUGH! Now the scroll he has taken is so dangerous that the Shodaime had it sealed away. If misused, or in the wrong hands, it could be deadly. Now it's only been a few hours since she took it, find her and bring her to me, **alive!**" All the ninjas nodded and vanished leaving a big gust of wind as the only clue they were even there.

Iruka jumped up to the top of a large building and looked out at the village. For some reason Iruka had a suspicion Naruko was in the forest.

'I just hope you're safe Naruko.'

Naruko was panting, her jacket was lying next to her leaving her in only her orange pants and black shirt. She looked down at her breasts and sighed.

"Too bad this stupid scroll didn't have a jutsu to make you smaller...I hate being an early bloomer." Iruka landed in front of her panting with an annoyed look on his face. Naruko smiled at him as if nothing was wrong.

"About time I found you Iruka-sensei!" Iruka snapped.

"NO YOU IDIOT! **I** FOUND **YOU!**"

"Hehehe I guess you did. Too bad you got here so fast, I only got to memorize one technique, I was just getting started on the second one when you showed up."

"Naruko...you look exhausted, what the hell have you been doing?"

"Ooooh language sensei! Ha ha ha ha. Just wait till I show you! I never dreamed that some of the shinobi arts actually kicked ass! If I can master these techniques you **have** to let me graduate!"

Iruka was confused, Naruko was acting like nothing was wrong. All she did was come here to practice her ninjutsu to the point of exhaustion.

"Naruko, what is that scroll you're carrying?"

"Huh? You mean this thing? Hell if I know, Mizuki-sensei told me about it and to come here to practice. He said if I could show you I learned the techniques in this scroll you'd let me graduate! ...That's still the case right?"

It all made sense to Iruka now, no wonder Naruko knew about the scroll and stole it. A sudden sound from behind them made Iruka push Naruko out of the way as a dozen kunai came flying out of the woods pinning Iruka slightly to the shed wall.

"It always amazes me Iruka how you know exactly where she is."

"Ugh, Now I see what your plan is!"

Mizuki ignored Iruka and looked at Naruko.

"Naruko, give me the scroll."

"What the hell? What is this?!" Naruko was confused as to what was going on.

"Naruko, don't let him have the scroll! Protect it with your life! It holds records of completely forbidden jutsus! Mizuki used you because he wants it for himself!"

"What?"

"Naruko, do you know what really happened twelve years ago? What really happened to the demon fox?"

"SHUT UP YOU FOOL!"

"Since that day, everyone in the village has been bound by a very strict law, one that everyone knows but you."

"Except me? Why not me? What the hell are you talking about?" Naruko's fists clenched as she wondered what she was being left out of.

"The law is that no one can tell you that you really are the demon fox!"

"Wha?" The look on Naruko's face was pure surprise.

"STOP IT!" Iruka yelled but Mizuki continued on his rant.

"In other words Naruko, you're the one who killed Iruka's parents, you're the one who destroyed the village all those years ago! Until the Yondaime bound you in this form. Hadn't you never found it strange that you were despised everywhere you went? Even Iruka hates you, if he would actually be honest."

Iruka could only watch as Naruko's eyes filled with tears, he realized all the pranks, everything she did was just for attention, all of it was to hide her pain and loneliness. Neither Naruko or Iruka noticed Mizuki pulling the large shuriken from his back and launching until it was almost too late. Naruko looked up and noticed a crying Iruka hovering over her, the large shuriken now in his back.

"Iruka-sensei....why?"

"Naruko, you and I are the same, when my parents died I was so lonely, I became like you, the class clown...anything to attract attention. Being the class clown was better than being a nobody. It hurts so much, I know that Naruko, I was always hard on you, always scolding, yelling, had I been a better teacher, maybe neither of us would have come to this. Forgive me."

Naruko took off deeper into the forest leaving both chunin behind.

"Too bad, now it seems she's gonna use the scroll to take her revenge on the village. Did you see her eyes? The eyes of a demon, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

"You don't know anything about her."

"I don't need to know shit about her to kill the bitch. It's the scroll I want, I'll deal with you later."

Naruko was jumping from branch to branch moving away from the two chunin as fast as possible. Some movement to her left caught her attention and she could see it was Iruka.

"Naruko, give me the scroll, it's what Mizuki wants!" As Iruka jumped to get closer to Naruko, Naruko lashed out with the scroll slamming Iruka away. Iruka looked at Naruko and vanished in a puff of smoke revealing Iruka was really Mizuki in a henge.

"How did you know I wasn't Iruka?"

Naruko smiled before vanishing revealing the real Iruka.

"Because I am."

"Why do you try to stop me Iruka? That thing killed your parents! What happens if we let it live?"

"For one the scroll won't be in the hands of a scumbag like you."

"Fool, Naruko and I are the same. I could use the scroll to gain limitless power and the beast within her hungers for the kind of strength, how can you not hate that?"

"Because I don't, I hate the fox, but the not the girl it is sealed in. While she may annoy me sometimes I have nothing but respect for her. She's my favorite and best student. She works with all her considerable might, and yes she's akward, clumsy, and a screw-up sometimes and people have mocked her, shunned her, but it's granted her incredible empathy, she knows what it is to be in pain. She never was and no longer is your demon fox. She's a citizen of Konohagakure, Uzumaki Naruko."

"Aww! How sentimental! Well sorry Iruka old boy, I was planning on saving you for last but you've become a thorn in my side and I do hate thorns. So say goodbye!" Mizuki began spinning the other large shuriken he had over and over building momentum only to feel a fist slam into his face and send him crashing into a nearby tree.

"Naruko?!"

"Touch my sensei again and it'll be the last thing you fucking do!"

'...we really need to work on that foul mouth of hers.' Iruka thought though he was partly glad for the timely rescue.

"Naruko you idiot! Run away! Save yourself!"

"You bitch! I can kill you with one blow!" Naruko smiled a fanged smile and cracked her knuckles before placing her fingers in a cross formation. Him calling her a bitch did not go unnoticed by her.

"Like. To see. You. Try. KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

In a flash of chakra the forest was now filled with thousands of Narukos each of them grinning and cracking their knuckles.

"What the? How did?"

"Whats a matter asshole? Thought you were gonna kill me with one blow?"

"Naruko...you actually..."

"Well since your being a chickenshit I'll attack then, charge!"

Five minutes later and Mizuki was now almost pulverized meat on the forest floor.

"....well I guess I didn't get **too** carried away hehe. After all he is still alive."

"Naruko, come here. I've got a present for you, close your eyes."

"Sensei can I open my eyes now?" Iruka had to smile at her impatience, it was cute.

"Go ahead Naruko, open your eyes."

Naruko opened her eyes and noticed one thing wrong with the Iruka in front of her. He was missing his headband.

"Congratulations graduate! To celebrate this, I'll take you out for ramen. How's that sound?"

The next thing Iruka knew he was being tackled by a crying Naruko who showered his face with kisses, a thank you after each one.

'Well I was gonna give you a whole speech about how it will be harder now but I guess that can wait until we get to the restaurant...'

"Naruko, careful, I'm still bruised here."

"Oh...sorry Iruka-sensei."

A week later Naruko was in class still on cloud nine knowing that she had graduated and was now a shinobi of Konoha.

"Oi Naruko, what are you doing here? Class today is for those that didn't fail!" Naruko looked at the offending genin and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Well if you open your eyes I'm obviously wearing a headband aren't I?" The genin looked at her headband and nodded. Naruko then smiled a sweet smile.

"Good, now get lost before I drop kick out a window okay?" Not once did her sweet smile leave her face as she patted his cheek and sat back down.

"Excuse me my I pass?" Naruko ignored her knowing exactly what she wanted, it was always fun to mess with the Uchiha fanclub members.

"NARUKO MOVE IT! I'M TRYING TO GET AROUND YOU!" Naruko sent a death glare at Sakura who took a small step back from the blonde's burning gaze.

"Piss off bubblegum, I'm comfy and my ass ain't moving. Maybe when you move from a training bra to a real bra size I'll move." With every word Naruko said Sakura's temper was flaring. Naruko immediately got up and got nose to nose with Sakura who gulped at the look the blonde was giving her.

"Want to make something of it?" Sakura decided it wasn't worth it and shook her head no, which caused Naruko's face to go to a cheerful smile.

"Good, now had you asked nicely the second time I might have actually moved but seeing as you didn't...**shove off.**" Sakura immediately sat in an empty seat on the opposite end of the room while Naruko leaned to put her face near Sasuke.

"Yes? What do you want loser?"

"What the hell does everyone see in you?" Naruko looked at him with squinted eyes as she tried to find just what was it that had all the girls fighting for him.

Sakura was upset, every time she tried to get to class early so she could sit next to **her** Sasuke-kun Naruko was always there, when asked about it Naruko claimed that she wanted the window seat but the asshole kept taking it so she sat next to him. Naruko's pet name of Sasuke didn't go over so well with 99% of the female population in the class. She could see Naruko bugging Sasuke again and decided to do something about it this time. So in her anger she grabbed a random textbook and chucked it at Naruko. Said book collided against the back of Naruko's head which caused her face to slam into Sasuke's face making the two biggest rivals (other than Sakura and Ino) end up sharing their first kiss together much to the shock of all but one female in the class and to the surprise of every male. As soon as the two pulled away from each other Naruko grabbed Sasuke by his collar and pulled him close, angry fire burning in her eyes as she bared her fangs at the last Uchiha.

"**THAT** was my first kiss you asshole." Sasuke gave her the same stone faced look he always had though she could see he was slightly angry as well.

"If it makes you feel any better it was mine too and I'd take it back if I could." Most of the girls in the class were shocked and outraged that Naruko had stolen Sasuke's first kiss but due to their fear of her strength they couldn't do much. Naruko drew back her fist and most of the girls flinched and most of the guys began to wonder if Naruko was gonna kill Sasuke, some were even confused that she would be upset at losing her first kiss to the class heartthrob.

"It'll never happen again, agreed?" She still had her fangs bared at him as she growled this at him. Sasuke merely nodded his head.

"Agreed." Naruko let go of Sasuke and put back on her innocent smile.

"Good, now that that's settled...oooh Sakura, I believe I have your textbook. Now how would you like me to return it to you? Would you like me to shove it down your throat or up your ass?"

"Naruko whatever you're planning on doing with that textbook, put it down. I have an important speech to give." Naruko simply sighed at losing her chance to get revenge.

"Yes Iruka-sensei."

"Okay then, now I'm going to be assigning you all into three-man cells each of which will be taught by a jonin sensei. Now each cell has been selected by yours truly to be balanced and equal."

After six cells Naruko began playing with a paper shuriken she had made since they couldn't use their real shuriken in the academy. While Iruka was one of her favorite people in the village besides old man hokage, his crazy grandson Konohamaru, and the ramen stand owners he could get boring at times and this was one of those times.

"Next, Cell Seven with Uzumaki Naruko, Uchiha Sasuke, and...Haruno Sakura." Sakura was torn, on one hand she was with her crush Sasuke but on the other she was with that psycho bitch Naruko who had yet to get her back for throwing a book at her...so Sakura did nothing but quietly pump her fist in knowing that Sasuke was hers and since Naruko hated Sasuke she wouldn't have to worry about the crazy blonde being after him as well.

Both Sasuke and Naruko looked at each other and for a few seconds studied each other, both knew the other was a good fighter but other than that they really didn't know anything about the other at all besides the obvious things like being orphans. Naruko smiled at Sasuke which made his eyebrow raise in curiosity.

"Just don't be too much of asshole okay Sasuke?" She winked at him which for some reason made Sasuke uncomfortable, he attributed that to the fact that no less than ten minutes ago they were kissing.

"Whatever, just don't drag me down and be too much of a bitch." Naruko smiled then poked his side with her nails making him flinch. Sasuke was glad that's all she did, whenever on the rare occasions he would call her a bitch she would poke him, or hit him with the worse being she almost broke his nose on his desk once, if anyone else called her that well...Ino was a perfect example of what could happen.

'Well at least Sasuke and Naruko will work out...I hope.' Iruka thought before going through the rest of the teams.

"Okay after lunch I'll be introducing you to your jonin sensei, until then you're dismissed. Oh and Naruko can I have a word with you?"

Naruko walked up to Iruka and was rocking back and forth from the balls of her feet to her heels showing him she was at least a little excited.

"Naruko I know you and her have some difficulties but **TRY** and get along with Sakura okay? You guys are on a team now and need to watch out for each other."

"As long as she doesn't throw another book at me we'll get along fine Iruka-sensei, the moment she does that it's on!" Iruka punched the bridge of his nose knowing that was probably the best it would get.

"Okay then, well here have some money and take your team out for ramen, on me." Naruko's eyes widened and she jumped up and hugged him again showering him with thank-yous and a kiss on the cheek before running off to find her team. Iruka watched the blond pigtailed girl run off with a smile on his face.

'Maybe a daughter wouldn't be such a bad thing...'

Meanwhile in Naruko's house the hokage and Hatake Kakashi her jonin sensei were doing a walk-through of her house so Kakashi could learn more about his student. He had already finished Sakura and Sasuke's now he had to go through the last one.

"So this is Naruko's house huh?"

The hokage nodded as Kakashi looked around only to see a bunch of drawings of famous ninja in a vertical line with Naruko's picture at the bottom next to Gai's student Lee if he wasn't mistaken.

"Hokage-sama, what is this?" The hokage smiled, seemed Naruko still kept her "ninja growth-chart" as she once called it.

"That is one of Naruko's favorite things in the world. Her ninja growth-chart."

"Her what?" Kakashi was confused, sure he had heard of regular growth charts but a ninja version? That was new to him.

"Allow me to explain, see Naruko drew a picture of every ninja she considered powerful and put it up on the wall. When she gets more powerful she moves her picture up showing that she's gained progress with the Yondaime being the top one and Tsunade being right after him."

"Naruko must hold Lady Tsunade in high regards then and it's ironic she considers sensei to be her top rival...why am I under Gai?"

"Not really, Naruko just is tired of being called "mini-Tsunade" and wishes to prove she's better. Plus since Tsunade is arguably the most famous kunoichi around Naruko figures if she defeats Tsunade then people will respect her more when she becomes the first female Hokage."

"She has a long way to go to reach that goal."

"But that is where you come in. You being her jonin sensei will help her to reach that goal, also you have Sasuke of the Uchiha clan on your squad and the two of them are rivals so it should get interesting."

Kakashi realized that this assignment could be terrible but he had an obligation to at least test the three. He then noticed something interesting.

"Hokage-sama, if Naruko considers Sasuke a rival why is his picture not up here? I see Itachi's picture and hell even Orochimaru's and Hanzo's but no Sasuke." The hokage laughed at this making Kakashi become even more interested.

"I asked her that myself once, you know what she said? That until Sasuke activated his sharingan he wasn't as big a threat as Itachi meaning he won't be on the list until he does. Naruko knows that a taijutsu user can defeat a sharingan user using certain techniques."

'Well that explains why Gai is one above me, she must have heard of his technique to fight sharingan users.'

"Well I think I've gotten enough information, apparently out of twelve powerful ninja I'm number five on her list to surpass. Better go pop that bubble she has of me being not such a threat."

"Kakashi, don't underestimate her, most who do...well they end up like Jiraiya does when he peeped on Tsunade and got caught." That got Kakashi's attention and he decided at that moment that maybe this team would do okay...maybe.

Team seven sat there in the classroom bored out of their minds. Naruko surprisingly got her two teammates to agree to go get some ramen with her and all in all it was an okay outing, but two hours later their sensei had not shown up and everyone, even Iruka had already left for the day. Needless to say all three were annoyed with this.

"Aren't jonin supposed to be punctual? If I was a client this would look very bad for the village." Naruko said remembering the old man saying that to one of his shinobi when she was younger, Sakura looked at her surprised that she had said such a smart thing.

"I gotta agree, I mean we're the only ones here!" Sakura slumped down into her chair and picked up one of the dozen paper shuriken that Naruko had made out of boredom.

"Our sensei lost a lot of respect with me, that's for damn sure. What about you Sasuke?" Naruko looked at Sasuke who hadn't moved from his "brooding" pose as she liked to call it.

"I have to agree she-hulk, he lost my respect with this stunt." Naruko's eye twitched at being called that. Only Sasuke ever called her that for some reason.

Suddenly the door opened and a ninja with his headband covering his eye and a facemask on came in noticing his three students, one with his hands together, another looking at some paper shurikens, and the last one laying down on the desk.

"Well based on my first impression of you three...I hate you." Naruko wondered where she had seen this man before, then it clicked, he was Kakashi, number five on her list of ninja to surpass and the ninja old man hokage had yelled at one day for being late.

"Well I would've thought that lesson on punctuality the hokage gave you would've been enough but apparently not." Kakashi wondered what she was talking about and shrugged it off.

"Meet me on the roof in five minutes." He then left the three alone again. Sasuke noticed Sakura get up to leave but Naruko was still lying down and made no attempt to leave.

"Aren't you coming she-hulk?"

"No asshole I'm not, besides it took him two hours to get here, it'll probably take him another two to get to the roof." Sasuke had to smile at that, their sensei really did lose a lot of Naruko's respect with being late. He decided to take matters into his own hands, so he grabbed her by the ear and began dragging her out of the classroom.

"Let's go she-hulk."

"OW OW LET ME GO ASSHOLE! GRRR I SWEAR THE MOMENT YOU LET ME GO I'M GONNA KICK YOUR ASS SASUKE!" And that was how Kakashi found his team entering the rooftop. The Uchiha dragging Naruko by her ear who was screaming bloody murder and various death threats and Sakura behind them blushing meaning Naruko had said some very interesting threats.

All three sat down and Sasuke let go of Naruko's ear who immediately flicked his forehead making him fall backwards and nearly hitting his head against the concrete.

"AND DON'T DO IT AGAIN!..asshole."

"Naruko, stop calling Sasuke-kun that!"

"Well when he stops being an asshole I'll stop calling him one okay bubblegum?!" Kakashi had to keep himself from laughing, Naruko definitely had Tsunade's temper but he wondered if she did have her strength or was that just a lie? He could see both of his female students grinding their foreheads together and growling at each other, it was time to play mediator before one killed the other.

"Okay okay, enough you three. You can kill each other after tomorrow for now let's get some introductions out of the way."

"What do you want us to say sensei?" Sakura asked.

"You know, things like favorite thing, thing you hate most, dreams, ambitions, hobbies, things like that."

"You're Hatake Kakashi, jonin of Konohagakure, Don't know why but everyone calls you the copycat ninja, you're habitually late according to old man hokage but strong."

"Well looks like our blond friend here did her homework." Kakashi said with a weird eye-smile knowing the real reason she knew all that.

"Yes my name is Hatake Kakashi, I'm not the kind of person who feels like talking about their likes and dislikes, my dreams for the future are none of your business, but yeah I have lots of hobbies."

"....."All three genin were silent.

"He said a lot but all we learned was his name and what you said Naruko." Sakura whispered to her two teammates.

"Okay blondie, you're up first."

"My name is Uzumaki Naruko, what I like is instant cup ramen, what I like even better is when Iruka-sensei treats me to ramen at Ichiraku's! And I also like a good spar but since my favorite sparring partner graduated last year I'm stuck with asshole here as my favorite sparring partner." She said jabbing her thumb in Sasuke's direction. Kakashi was surprised at hearing the blonde so callously called Sasuke an asshole, as far as he knew majority of the girls that age had a thing for the last Uchiha. Guess that wasn't completely true. He did wonder who her previous favorite sparring partner was then remembered that her picture was next to Rock Lee's currently. He didn't want to assume but he figured that's who she was talking about.

"What I hate is the three minute wait for the damn ramen to cook and being called a bitch or mini-Tsunade grrr." Kakashi had to chuckle a bit at that one, but it seemed she had not much on her mind besides ramen.

"My dream is to one day be the first female hokage, then all the villagers will have to acknowledge my existence at last, and maybe just one day find a nice guy and get married but I'm doubting that one will happen anytime soon."

'Well she certainly has high goals though that last one her voice seemed to sadden a lot.'

"My hobbies are...fighting, and pranks I guess."

"I see, alright Uchiha you're up."

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are plenty of things I hate and I don't like that many things. I don't have a dream, I have an ambition, to restore my clan and to kill a certain person."

'He's so cool!' Sakura thought while blushing.

'He really needs to lighten up, maybe a spar will cheer him up?' Naruko thought while absently chewing on her thumb.

'….I suspected as much. Need to work on that.'

"And finally bubblegum as your teammate so nicely called you." Sakura glared at both Naruko and Kakashi before speaking.

"I am Haruno Sakura. My favorite thing is...well it's a boy I'll say as much. My dream is *blush.*"

"Something you dislike?"

"I hate...Naruko!"

"Hate you too bubblegum." Naruko said while cleaning out her ear with her pinky.

"My hobbies are...*blush*" Kakashi noticed that this was one of the fangirls he had heard about.

'Huh, seems besides Naruko, young girls are more interested in love than being shinobi. Well we'll see if we can work on that.'

"Okay then, I sure we all understand each other, we'll start training tomorrow."

"Bout damn time." Naruko said and Kakashi noticed that the blonde had quite a sailor's mouth on her. That was another thing to add to the list of things to work on with this team, assuming they passed his test.

"Well our first assignment involves just us of team seven. It'll be a survival exercise."

"...Not to sound stupid but didn't we already do enough of those in the academy?" Sakura said while raising her hand.

"It won't be like your typical survival course as this time you'll have to survive against me. I will warn you though out of the twenty-seven of you that graduated, only nine will become actual genin. The rest will go back to the academy for extra training. The test I'm gonna have you do has a sixty-six percent failure rate."

"...Okay? So all we gotta do is kick your ass? That's already on my list of things to do for being two hours late so this should be simple with two others helping me."

Kakashi had to sigh, he was hoping to frighten them but Naruko ruined it, he noticed Sakura was a little frightened while Sasuke was still stone-faced.

"Here the details of your assignment are on this handout, memorize it, and don't be late."

"and here I was about to tell you the same thing!" Naruko said, her voice full of sarcasm making Kakashi sigh again.

'Aww damnit! It's all in kanji...guess I can ask old man hokage or Iruka-sensei to help me...not my fault no one was around to teach me this!' Naruko thought as she pretended to read it.

"Also don't eat breakfast, otherwise you'll throw up! Well I'll see you guys tomorrow!" With that Kakashi vanished in a swirl of leaves.

"Hey Sasuke, if sensei keeps this up you may lose your title of asshole! Don't know what I'll upgrade you to though...maybe lackey or minion, don't know yet. Well see you guys tomorrow."

The next morning Naruko got dressed, brushed her hair and against Kakashi's orders ate a full breakfast. She wasn't about to listen to a guy who looked like a scarecrow already so why deny her body energy? She noticed Sakura and Sasuke already waiting but no sign of their sensei which annoyed her. Surprisingly he did show up about ten minutes after she did.

"Well now I've set this alarm to go off at noon which gives you about two hours to pass this exercise." He pulled out two bells and dangled them.

"I have here two small bells, you will have two hours to take them from me before the timer sounds. Anyone who fails doesn't get any lunch, instead you'll be tied to one of those three tree stumps so I can eat your lunch in front of you." Kakashi heard two stomachs growl and noticed the Uchiha and Sakura give him dirty looks while Naruko seemed unaffected.

'Hmm seems someone is either smarter than she looks or just doesn't do well with authority.'

"All you need is one bell but since there are two one of you **will** be going to the stump and whoever fails first gets sent back to school. You may use whatever tools are at your disposal, and please attack as though you mean to kill me otherwise you will fail."

"But sensei that's dangerous!"

"Eh it's his funeral Sakura. He wants to get killed that's fine with me."

"Only the weak speak loudly, now let's ignore the dunce and we'll start on my signal."

Naruko growled her eyes for a brief moment flashed red which did not go unnoticed by Kakashi as she charged him with a speed that surprised him. She didn't pull out a kunai or anything, she just cocked back her fist and swung it at him. In the blink of an eye he appeared behind her and directed her punch to the ground where it caused a huge crater making Kakahsi whistle.

'Okay the rumors are true, she is the second coming of Tsunade but it her strength just great chakra control or is the fox behind it? Her eyes did flash red even if it was only for a split second.'

"Not so fast Naruko, I didn't say go. But I am glad you came at me with intent to kill...err crush. You guys may have a chance after all. Now, ready? Go!!!"

All three genin vanished making Kakashi take notice that all three were good at hiding until he noticed Naruko land in front of him.

"Well, well if it isn't the second coming of Tsunade. I guess we'll start with ninja lesson number one, taijutsu." Kakashi reached into his pocket and Naruko got her body ready though she was confused he was pulling out a weapon if he wanted to do hand to hand combat with her. It wasn't until he pulled out a book that Naruko's eye twitched, it began to twitch even more when she saw what book it was.

"GRRR THE LEAST YOU COULD DO IS PUT AWAY THE PORN AND TAKE ME SERIOUSLY!"

"Hmm? But I have been dying to find out how this story ends, it shouldn't make any difference if I'm reading or not considering who I'm fighting."

'OH THAT IS IS! SASUKE HAS LOST HIS TITLE OF ASSHOLE!' Naruko's eyes flashed red again which again did not go unnoticed by Kakashi as she charged him, normally Kakashi would've blocked her hits but seeing as these were herculean punches he decided to dodge them. He dodged several punches and a few kicks and noticed she made sure not to show her back to him that often probably from facing Gai's mini-clone so many times. But she eventually did show her back to him and he sprung his trap.

'Why is sensei using the sign of the tiger? That's too advanced a technique to use against her!' Sakura thought and despite the fact she and Naruko never got along she wasn't about to just let her die.

"Naruko!!! Get out of there!!! You'll be killed!!!"

Naruko heard a voice from somewhere in the distance but the main voice that concerned her was the one directly behind her.

"Too late. Konohagakure village's most secret and most sacred technique!!! One thousand years of p---" Naruko turned around and swung her foot at her sensei only to have her foot crush a small log into hundreds of wooden splinters. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kakashi's foot coming at her and blocked only to be knocked into the river. Kakashi looked at the destroyed log and noticed there was nothing left of the original.

"Wow....note to self, don't try to use that technique on her again, if I didn't substitute myself with that log I probably would've been killed."

'DAMNIT! DAMNIT! DAMNIT! THIS IS NOT HOW IT'S GONNA GO DOWN! GRRR!' Naruko's eyes began to glow red as she remembered Mizuki incident. She was not about to let some scarecrow asshole make a fool out of her!

'I WILL NOT BACK DOWN!' She formed the cross handsign and channeled a large amount of chakra.

Kakashi meanwhile was still reading his book wondering how long his blond student could hold her breath until dozens of shuriken came flying out of the water at him. He was honestly expecting two, maybe four at the most but over twelve shuriken? Something was up. He easily dodged them all and waited for his student to come out. Which she did...sort of. At least seven Naruko's came flying out of the water each intent on pulverizing Kakahsi. Kakashi decided that maybe he should put the book away as his blond student was unlike Tsunade too much of a wild card to read. As he put the book away he had to switch with another log as all seven Naruko's came crashing down on him. The battlefield soon become littered with craters as each clone tried their hardest to get him.

'So she can do kage bunshin...interesting but it's time to go play with the other two.' It was then that Kakahsi felt something on his back and looked to see Naruko.

"Nice to see **your** back sensei. Time to get revenge for trying to shove your fingers in my ass you pervert!" A Naruko clone came and ended up hitting...the real Naruko.

"What the hell? GRR CLONES! FIND HIM! HE'S GONNA PAY FOR THAT ASS STUNT!" Kakashi was worried now, he was hoping she would assume he had changed into one of her clones and buy him some time but apparently not as her clones now ran off into the forest to find him. This just made the test a little bit harder...and interesting.

Naruko noticed a bell laying by itself and part of her thought Kakashi must have dropped it while fighting her and the clones but another part of her found something wrong with it. She decided to play it safe a punch the ground in front of the tree breaking up the rocks and revealing a hidden rope snare.

"Ha guess there is truth to that woman's intuition bull after all." Naruko tried to grab the bell only to noticed it was now a stick.

'I...am really starting to hate substitution.'

"Close Naruko but just giving you the bell would be too easy. Glad you felt something was wrong with the situation and played it safe. You do have potential I'll give you that." Naruko was glad to hear him say that but her smile was replaced by shock when his face became riddled with shuriken.

"What the hell Sasuke?! That was overkill!" Both of them saw that shuriken covered "Kakashi" was now a shuriken covered log.

'Damn I just gave away my position!' Sasuke thought before moving away to a new location.

"Great, now I have to find my teammates and somehow get a damn bell. This sucks." Both Naruko and Sasuke both heard a female scream and both thought the same thing.

'Sakura...sensei must have gotten her.'

"Yup, the second ninjutsu skill: genjutsu and Sakura fell for it. I had hoped she would show aptitude for it but what can you do?" Sasuke didn't turn to face Kakashi just yet.

"I'm not like them."

"Obviously not, you're a male while both of them are female but save your boasts until you have a bell in your hand Sasuke."

Sasuke threw several shuriken at Kakashi making him dodge only to nearly fall into a trap Sasuke had set before the two engaged in a taijutsu match.

'Huh I can't even read Icha Icha while fighting him, though Naruko was just as bad with her clones and strength.'

"Okay I admit it, you're not like the others, no wonder Naruko sees you as her favorite sparring partner." Sasuke smirked and began flying through handseals before taking a deep breath.

'No way, there's no way his chakra is that developed to preform that move!'

"Katon: Gokakyu no jutsu!" Sasuke blew outwards and an enormous fireball erupted forth at the spot where Kakashi was. When the fire died out Kakahsi was nowhere in sight.

"What?! Where did he go? Above? Behind me?"

"Try below."

"Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu no jutsu!" The next thing Sasuke knew he was now buried in the ground from his shoulders down.

"Lesson number three: ninjutsu. Though I must admit your performance was very good, out of the three of you both you and Naruko have the most talent. Oh well."

"Crap...need to find a way to get out of--"

"EEEYAHHH! SASUKE'S HEAD HAS BEEN SEVERED!" Sasuke looked and saw Sakura was unconscious.

"What the hell was that all about?"

"Sasuke! Sakura! Where are you two?" Sasuke could hear Naruko's voice nearby. Maybe she could help him get out.

"Over here she-hulk!"

"Oh there you are....HAHAHAHA!"

"Just get me outta here!" He bared his teeth at her and Naruko for a split second thought he looked cute when he had a pissed off look on his face. But now wasn't the time for that.

"Okay okay, that was the funniest thing I've seen all day...what happened to her?"

"I don't know, she fainted when she saw me." Naruko shrugged and began digging Sasuke out.

"What happened to you?"

"Our sensei happened to me, just help me get out of here."

"Alright alright asshole, I'm digging as fast as I can. Here give me your arm." Naruko at that moment forgot how strong she was and ended up pulling Sasuke not only out of the ground but on top of her leaving him laying between her legs with their faces a mere inch of two from each other. Needless to say both were blushing.

"You got five seconds to get off me." Naruko said though Sasuke noticed she wasn't growling. He wasn't gonna push his luck and got off her, dusting himself off.

"We don't tell anyone about that okay?" She said to which he nodded. The last thing he needed was his fangirls thinking they were going out, not only would Naruko never hear the end of it but Sasuke wouldn't either.

"Okay so what do we do now?"

"I got close enough to touch one of the bells, this time I'm taking one."

"Yeah I did too, you know what happened? It became a damn twig. How about we both try and get one?"

"I can do just fine on my own."

"Such a stubborn jerk you are. Look we got no choice with how strong that scarecrow is but to---"

RRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGG

"...team up. Well so much for that. Let's get back to the spot where we started. Come on bubblegum." Naruko picked up Sakura's unconscious body and flung her over her shoulder carrying her back like a sack of potatoes. Since Sakura was unconscious and since Kakashi had heard Naruko offer to help Sasuke Sakura was the one tied to the stump.

"Well, well, well listen to the stomachs growl, well none of you have to worry about going back to the academy. More training would be pointless." All three had annoyed looks on their faces.

"None of you will ever be shinobi!"

"What the hell scarecrow? I mean yeah none of us got a bell but doesn't mean we should quit!"

"You three mock the way of shinobi with your behavior, you're nothing more than a trio of spoiled brats!" Sasuke was about to charge at Kakashi but Naruko grabbed his wrist and pulled him to sit back down.

"Now see? If you had shown more of that during the exercise you would've passed."

"Shown what?" Sakura asked, she had been awake since Sasuke had almost charged.

"Teamwork. That is the reason you three are divided into teams. Hell out of all three of you Naruko was the only one who offered to team up with anyone. Because of that I'm gonna give you one more chance to pass. If you wish to continue you may eat but no feeding Sakura, she goes hungry."

"Why me?" Kakashi looked at her.

"Not once did you try to help either of your teammates. So for that you go without food. Neither of you two feed Sakura or else you fail the test immediately." Kakashi vanished in a swirl of leaves leaving the three alone. Naruko looked around and opened a bento box and handed her a clump of rice.

"What? Kakahsi-sensei said--"

"Yeah you know what else he said? Don't eat breakfast, you know what I did? I ate a nice hearty breakfast. Just shut up and eat, you can't help neither Sasuke or me if you're starving plus I'm still good from this morning so I'm not hungry."

"Sakura, you can have half of mine as well. I'm not that big an eater anyway." Sakura was tearing up at how nice Naruko was being despite all they went through in the academy. Plus Sasuke was offering her food as well so double points. An explosion of smoke erupted in front of them revealing their very angry sensei.

"You...You...YOU...pass."

All three looked at him like he was crazy so Kakashi explained.

"Well from what I heard Naruko never listened to me in the first place which is why she had so much energy but to offer you Sakura her food along with Sasuke after I told them both not to shows you three have matured. You see in the ninja world those who don't follow the rules are trash but those who abandon their teammates are below trash. Therefore seeing as your teammates did not abandon you Sakura this exercise is over. Congratulations, you are now **officially** Team Seven. Untie Sakura and let's go home."


	2. Eyebrowless Freak Momochi Zabuza!

The forest was quiet as the four ninja of squad seven hid in their positions.

"How far away is the target?" Kakashi said, he could hear his team over his radio link and could instantly tell who was who.

"_Five meters and closing! How much longer are we gonna wait damnit?!"_ ...yup he could definitely tell who was who.

"_I'm in position."_ Sasuke was ready.

"_So am I."_ Now was the time to spring the trap.

"GO!"

"MEEE-YOOOW!!!" The cry of a captured cat was heard all through the forest.

"Gotcha you damn furbag!"

"_Don't forget the target has a ribbon on its right ear that says "tora.""_

"Got it, target is confirmed."

"Good then "mission: find the missing pet is completed."

"Can we change it to mission: destroy this hellspawned feline?!" Naruko said after nearly being scratched several times by the (supposedly) ninja trained cat.

After team seven had captured and returned the cat all three genin looked stunned at the abuse the cat went through as its owner smothered it with love, much to the poor animal's dismay. Iruka handed the hokage another D-rank mission for the team to complete.

"Okay, the next assignment for cell seven will be...to babysit for the council of elders...to run errands to the neighboring village...to help dig sweet potatoes...."

"NO WAY! HELL NO! BORRING! GIVE US SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO DO. SOMETHING IMPORTANT! SOMETHING ACTUALLY FUCKING WORTH IT!" While Naruko was screaming her head off each of her teammates had a different thought going through their minds.

_'I have to admit, she does have a point......' _Sasuke watched at his blonde teammate went off.

_'She is such a pain!'_ Almost as if Naruko could hear her thoughts she turned her head to Sakura and bared her fangs at her.

_'Sigh....we really need to work on that foul mouth of hers...hasn't she ever heard the saying "be grateful for what you can get?"'_ Kakashi had to admit to himself, like any other jonin he hated D-ranks, he had done his fair share already for the village....but they were meant to help train regular genin which he was proud to say his team was anything but normal. He noticed Iruka stood up to scold his student.

"Don't be a fool Naruko! You're only a beginner! Everyone starts out doing grunt work. It's where you get experience and learn teamwork. Everyone had to do them, I had to, Kakashi had to, even Hokage-sama had to!"

"But we've done tons of small stuff, can't we get some sort of action?! Hell even a simple escort mission would do damnit!"

"Naruko, that's enough knock it off." Kakashi bopped his student on top of her head making her curse yet again which made Iruka, Kakahsi, and the Hokage sigh knowing that doing something about her foul mouth would be quite the challenge.

Sarutobi pulled his pipe out of his mouth and looked at the angry blonde nursing the bump on her head.

"I guess Naruko needs to be explained just what these duties are...you see Naruko every day, our village receives many requests, everything from babysitting to assassination. We take all that and sort them into categories from A to D based on the degree of skill they require. We have also divided the shinobi forces into classes based on their level of their skills. After we of the upper ranks have sorted all the requests we distribute them to those ninja with the appropriate skill level. And...if the ninja in question does the job successfully then the grateful person they helped pays him a fee. Thus far Naruko you and your teammates have only just attained the lowest rank, D-ranks are the best you could aspire for." The hokage, happy with his explanation looked to see the look of understanding on Naruko's face...instead he saw her talking with her squad.

"Hey I had pork ramen for lunch yesterday, do you think I should go for miso ramen today or something else?"

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING?!"

"I'm sorry hokage-sama." Kakashi scratched the back of his head at the awkwardness of being caught not paying attention. Naruko apparently felt none of that awkwardness.

"I don't want to hear it! All the old perv ever does is apologize and then give me a lecture. It's not fair damnit! There's more to me than a trouble-making screwup!" Naruko crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. It was always the same, everyone thinks _"Oh it's just Naruko, she'll always be the same mischief making screwup of the village!"_

_'Well no more of this shit! I'll show them all there is more to Uzumaki Naruko!'_

Kakashi sighed wondering if he was going to be in trouble for his blonde student's outburst. The girl definitely took after her mother in personality...which Kakashi didn't know whether to be happy about that or be upset she wasn't calm and collected like her father.

"Very well, since you put it that way Naruko. I will permit you to attempt a C-rank mission usually reserved for chunin ninja."

_'Mischief-making has been her only means of self-expression.'_ The hokage thought with a smile he could see Kakashi was stunned at hearing they were being granted a C-rank.

"You will protect a certain individual..."

"WHO IS IT? SOME GREAT LORD? THE DAIMYO?! A PRINCESS?!"

"Calm down Naruko, I'll perform the introductions right away. Iruka, please invite him in."

The door opened and a tall man above middle age walked in, a bottle of sake in his hand.

"What's going on here? These are the ninja assigned to protect me? They look like a bunch of snot-nosed brats. Especially the blonde, she's got the face of an imbecile. This is a joke right? You kids aren't really ninja are you?"

Kakashi heard his student growl and grabbed her collar before she could take off.

"I'LL FUCKING KILL HIM!!!"

"Wrong idiot. No killing the old man you're being paid to protect."

"You sure that girl is a ninja? Do I really have to place my life in her hands?" He looked with disbelief towards the hokage. Kakashi stepped in to defend his student's honor.

"While she may not look it Tazuna-san Naruko here has enough physical strength to level this whole building." The hokage and Kakashi could see Tazuna's eyes widen at hearing this.

_'She certainly has the temper to do so, sometimes I wonder if Naruko is really Tsunade's daughter and not Kushina's.' _Kakashi thought as he noticed his student became happy at being praised.

"Not only that but I am an elite ninja and will be coming along too. So no worries." Tazuna looked at the blonde girl and didn't know whether to believe the one-eyed ninja. He knew ninjas could do amazing things like breathe fire, walk on walls, and stuff like that but could that little blonde shrimp really have that much strength? He brushed it off and decided the brats needed to know who they were protecting.

"I am Tazuna, a world renowned bridge builder. Until I safely back in my own country, where I'll be working on my next masterpiece, you'll be expected to protect me with your lives!" Kakashi turned to his team and smiled at them.

"Okay team meet at the south gate in half an hour. Pack for at least a month."

At the gate Naruko was bouncing around with a big smile on her face making her two teammates look at her with curiosity. Sasuke was the first to speak.

"Hey she-hulk why are you so happy?"

Naruko looked at him and bounced over to him her face right next to his and at that moment Sasuke noticed her cheek was silky smooth while she whispered into his ear.

"Because asshole, this will be my first time in my life I've ever been out of the village. By the way...you smell nice, what cologne do you use?"

"Naruko! Get away from Sasuke-kun!" Naruko looked at Sakura and pulled her eyelid down with her middle finger and stuck her tongue out at the pink haired ninja which only further infuriated the girl.

"To answer your question she-hulk I don't use cologne, it's the body wash I use." Sasuke had to try his hardest not to blush at the closeness between the two only seconds ago. He attributed all his near blushing towards her due to the several awkward incidents the two had had.

_'Her cheek was soft, just like mom's.' _Sasuke thought while looking at the blonde girl who was pinning one of Sakura's arm behind her back and making her say uncle. After Sakura surrendered Naruko came up to Sasuke and didn't say anything, she just stared at him.

"Ye--" Sasuke was cut off when two fingers poked his forehead, just like his brother used to do.

"That's for calling me she-hulk. You're lucky I'm in a good mood thanks to this mission."

"Well, I'm glad to see all three of you are ready to go." All three genin turned to see Kakashi with a backpack on along with Tazuna.

"LET'S GO ALREADY!"

"You sure she's a ninja?" Tazuna whispered to which Kakashi simply nodded. Naruko however heard him.

"Hey you old bastard don't mess with ninja! Especially great ones like me! I the cream of the crop! In fact one day I'm gonna be the first female hokage! So remember my damn name! Uzumaki Naruko!"

Tazuna took a sip of his sake, a look of disbelief on his face.

"You? First female hokage? I doubt you got what it takes."

"Grrr, you're dead!" Kakashi bopped her on her head before grabbing her by the back of her collar and dragging her.

"I said **no** Naruko."

As the group continued their trip it was rather quiet except for the occasional happy giggle from Naruko at seeing something new. Kakashi looked at his student and smiled at seeing her truly smile, not the fake grins she loved to sport.

"Mr. Tazuna?" Sakura asked. Tazuna looked at her with a slightly annoyed look.

"What now?"

"You said you come from the land of waves right?

"Yeah, what of it?" Sakura turned towards her sensei.

"Kakashi-sensei, are there ninja in that country too?"

Kakashi at this moment went into his rarely seen teacher mode though his face still had a bored look about it.

"No, not in the land of waves. But, as a general rule most other lands have their own hidden villages." Kakashi pulled out a scroll marked **Kakashi-sensei's big scroll of shinobi: The Five Principal Shinobi Territories.**

"You actually carry that scroll around with you everywhere?" Naruko asked, surprised her sensei would do that.

"You never know when it might come up in conversation Naruko, plus this is also a map of the continent which is good for finding our way to far off lands." Naruko just shrugged as Kakashi went back to explaining about the villages and the kages.

"The old man may be powerful but he's still a damn pervert." Naruko said which made Kakashi sigh at his student's lack of respect and her language.

"Anyways, there is nothing to worry about. On C-rank missions you won't face any ninja from other nations." Tazuna was quiet which did not go unnoticed by Sasuke or Kakashi. The puddle that the group passed by did not go unnoticed by Kakashi either. The next thing the group knew two ninja had Kakashi wrapped up in a spiked chain and had basically torn him into pieces.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura screamed as the two nin looked at the group with dreadful eyes.

"One down, now for the blonde bitch." The next thing Naruko knew both of them were either side of her. What her attackers didn't notice was the large tick mark throbbing on her forehead or the fact she was growling.

**No one**...called her a bitch and got away with it.

"Your turn." Naruko did the only thing she could think of doing in that situation...she stomped her foot. The two nin were completely unprepared for the shockwave that reverberated through the ground making them lose their footing which was what Sasuke and Naruko needed. Sasuke immediately jumped up and threw both a shuriken and kunai pinning the spiked chain to a tree. Both nin tried to couldn't get the chain to budge. In their desperation to get the chain loose both didn't notice Sasuke and Naruko come up on their blind sides. Sasuke sent one of them flying with a kick while Naruko cocked back her fist and sent the other one flying causing the chain to break from the twins gauntlets.

"Naruko, you okay?"

"I'm fine asshole, don't worry about me." Sasuke had to smirk at that, even after he saves her she insults him. Both enemy ninjas took off towards Tazuna making Sakura pull out a kunai and stand in front of him. Both Sasuke and Naruko took off after them.

_'Damnit, we won't make it!'_ All seemed lost until the two ninjas were clothes-lined by Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei! You're alive!" Sakura was happy to say the least.

Naruko looked back at where Kakashi got shredded and noticed nothing but wood splinters.

_'Freaking substitution, had us worried for nothing.'_

"Good job you three, glad no one was injured. I didn't know you could do that with your foot Naruko."

"Hehe, to be honest sensei...neither did I. They called me a bitch then surrounded me so I did the first attack that came to my mind."

Kakashi smiled at her.

"Quick thinking on your part though next time make sure you're doing something that you know for sure will work." Kakashi looked over at Tazuna and his smile vanished, a calm serious face now apparent.

"Mr. Tazuna, I'd like to have a word with you."

********

"I'm still upset you wouldn't let me take their gauntlets Kakashi-sensei."

"Naruko you don't know how to fight with gauntlets, especially gauntlets of that size so you having them would've been pointless...and possibly detrimental to the squad." Kakashi looked at his blonde student who crossed her arms over her chest at being told no. The boat ride to the land of waves was quiet for the most part.

"What do you mean sensei? Naruko uses her fists to fight all the time so wouldn't gauntlets help her?" Sakura was honestly curious why Kakashi said no.

"Sakura, Naruko isn't used to fighting with weights or gauntlets on so say she did take them and we got into another fight. You think the enemy will wait for her to get used to them?"

"I guess not." Sakura was upset she didn't realize that sooner.

"Now I'm all for you guys learning kenjutsu, bojutsu, or exotic styles such as claw fighting but not during a mission. Now Naruko if you still wish to learn to use gauntlets in your fighting style we can get you some and I can teach you or find someone who is a true expert **after** we get back to the village okay?" Naruko looked at Kakashi and thought about what he said. At least he was willing to teach her and not just say no or make her figure it out herself.

"Okay sensei!"

"Keep your voices down! We need to cut off the engine and row from here on out. If Gato finds us we'd be in big trouble." Kakashi remembered the conversation he had earlier with the bridge builder.

_(Flashback)_

"_Who is after you Mr. Tazuna? A C-rank mission is for bandits and highwaymen, not against enemy ninja. So out with it."_

_Tazuna sighed before taking off his hat._

"_A very dangerous man is after me, he wants me dead."_

"_A very dangerous man? Who?"_

_Tazuna sighed again, hoping that after he told the ninja this they would still want to help him._

"_You've probably heard of him, his name....is Gato." Kakashi's eye widened at this, he knew just who Gato was._

"_You mean Gato of Gato Shipping and Transport? They say he's the richest man in the world!"_

"_That's the one, he seems like a legitimate businessman but the truth is, the man is like the devil himself. He traffics in drugs, contraband, slavery, assassination, you name it. He has my country in a stranglehold and since we have no ninja of our own we can't do much about it. My bridge is the one thing he fears, if it is completed then Nami no Kuni can not only survive but thrive!"_

"_So you're Gato's main target because you're the architect and overseer of the bridge."_

"_Exactly why Gato wants me dead. Please..." Tazuna dropped to his knees, his hat forgotten on the ground next to him._

"_I beg of you, help me, help my country. I only had enough for a C-rank bodyguard and I have faith you all are strong enough to help me. I'll gladly pay you for an A-rank after the bridge is complete! Just please keep protecting me! I have a daughter and a ten-year old grandson, I can't leave them!"_

_Naruko looked at Kakashi who seemed to weigh the pros and cons of accepting to continue helping him. Naruko looked at the crying old man and imagined his family. She never had a family so she knew what it was like to be left alone...she wouldn't let that happen to another._

"_Kakahsi-sensei, I'm for helping him." Both Kakashi and Tazuna looked at the blonde whose face had a determined look on it._

"_You sure about this Naruko?"_

"_I've never had a family so I know what's it like to be left alone to fend for yourself. I'll be damned if I let that happen to someone else!" Kakashi smiled under his mask while Tazuna looked at the girl with awe._

_'Maybe she does have what it takes to be hokage...' He thought while wiping the tears from his eyes._

_Kakashi looked at his other two students and saw they had the same determined look. It seems his squad had made up its mind._

"_Alright we'll help you, I'll send a notice to the hokage about the rank change, you'll have a few months to pay the difference. That sound good?" Tazuna nodded while Kakashi summoned a nin-dog and sent it off with a scroll in its mouth._

_(End Flashback)_

"Tazuna-san, it seems we've gotten in unnoticed. I'll drop you off by the mangroves so you can sneak in."

"Thank you." Naruko was amazed at seeing another country, even though it seemed like the village had seen better days it still looked amazing to someone who had never left the village before. The boat came to a stop at a small dock.

"This is as far as I go. Watch yourself."

"Thanks, we will."

Kakashi was worried though not for himself.

_'This mission officially is the worst one I've ever had. There will be another attack, and it won't be chunin this time, it will most likely be jonin...could this be any worse?' _A sound off to their right alerted the squad and Naruko launched a shuriken at it.

_'….I spoke too soon.'_

"Naruko! What the hell?!" Sakura yelled at her teammate jumping the gun like that. She got even more upset at seeing Naurko had nearly hit a rabbit.

"Why the hell is this rabbit white? Isn't it spring-time?" Naruko said holding the frightened rabbit by the scruff of its neck.

Kakashi knew the answer to his student's question.

_'A snow hare? Naruko's right, its coat should be brown this time of year. That means it was kept indoors for use as...'_

"A replacement..."

"Hmm you say something sensei?"

" EVERYONE GET DOWN NOW!" Just after Kakashi finished warning his squad a large object came spinning out of the trees flying just inches above everyone and slamming into a nearby tree. Atop the sword was a topless man with the same camouflage pants as the demon brothers, his lower face covered by bandages and his headband tied at an angle on his head.

"Well, well....Momochi Zabuza, the kid who ran away from Mizugakure. Naruko, Sasuke, Sakura, don't interfere with this. This guy is on a whole different level compared to you guys."

Kakashi's opponent was silent as Kakahsi reached for his headband.

"This may get a little rough."

"Kakashi of the sharingan I presume? I guess it would be too much trouble for you to just hand over the old man huh?"

_'Kakashi of the sharingan? ...SO THAT'S WHY HE'S CALLED THE COPY CAT NINJA!' _Naruko thought now knowing that Kakashi probably was a bigger threat on her growth list than she originally thought.

"Squad! Assume the manji battle formation! Protect Mr. Tazuna, all of you need to stay out of this fight. That's the kind of teamwork that will keep you alive. Now Zabuza..." Kakashi lifted his headband revealing the famous sharingan eye making Zabuza whistle.

"To face the legendary mirror eye so shortly after meeting you...this **is** an honor."

_'I thought only the Uchiha had the sharingan?'_ Sasuke thought as his sensei and Zabuza stared each other down.

"When I was an assassin for Kirigakure, the bingo book had quite an entry on you. The man who is said to have copied over a thousand jutsu. But enough chit-chat, I'm on a very tight schedule and my orders are to off the old man. But it looks like I'll have to kill you first." In the blink of an eye Zabuza and his large sword both vanished from the tree only to reappear on top of the water.

"Is he walking on water?" Sakura asked, fear evident in her voice.

"Kirigakure no jutsu." With that a thick fog appeared and Zabuza vanished.

_'If I recall correctly Zabuza was master of the silent killing technique. I better warn my team.'_

"All of you stay on your guard, I haven't necessarily mastered the sharingan eye yet, if you underestimate him you can guarantee yourself a quick death!"

"**Eight points...the throat, spinal column, lungs, liver, the jugular vein, the subclavical artery, the kidney, and the heart...so many choices, what vital, vulnerable place should I pick?" **

Naruko looked and saw Sasuke was terrified but she also felt a presence nearby her. She decided to do something about it.

"Asshole, snap out of it!" Sasuke heard Naruko's voice and looked at her.

"EVERYONE JUMP!" Sasuke, Sakura, Tazuna, and even Kakashi jumped up as Naruko slammed her foot on the ground making the nearby area rumble like an earthquake and the ground beneath her become a small crater. Kakashi noticed Zabuza was off balance due to Naruko's attack and he pressed his advantage by reappearing behind him jabbing his kunai into his spine. A second Zabuza appeared behind Kakahsi which did not go unnoticed by Naruko.

"Sensei! Behind you!" It was too late as Zabuza's weapon cleft clean through Kakahsi who melted into a puddle of water.

_'A water bunshin? When was he able to copy me in this mist?'_

"Don't move Zabuza, it's game over. Thanks for the shockwave Naruko." Kakashi now had his kunai to Zabuza's neck.

"The blonde girl's got some strength, but do you really think this is over? You just don't get it do you? It'll take more than copying me like some kind of monkey to defeat me...a lot more. But I gotta admit you are good. While the blonde girl screamed for everyone to jump you made the clone and while I was thrown off by the shockwave you used my own kirigakure technique to watch me! Too bad for you though..."

A voice came from behind Kakashi making his eyes widen.

"I'm not that easy to fool!" The Zabuza Kakashi had cornered melted into a puddle.

"Shit! That asshole was a water clone too?!" Naruko wanted to help her sensei fight but she knew this was a fight that was out of her league. Zabuza swung his sword in a wide arc making Kakashi duck while the swordsmen stuck his sword into the ground so he could swing his body and kick Kakashi away towards the water. Kakashi slammed into the water and for some reason found it much harder to move his limbs then normally.

_'Why is this water so heavy?'_

"Gotcha! Suiro no jutsu." Before Kakashi could escape a large sphere of water surrounded him while Zabuza stood off to its side with one arm in the prison keeping it functional.

"Good luck getting out, that prison is inescapable. Now it's time to deal with the others, Mizu bunshin."

One of the destroyed water clones reformed itself slowing drawing its sword as it stared down the genin.

"You think you're a ninja just because you wear that headband? A true ninja is one who has taken lives with their own hands, has crossed and recrossed over the barrier between life and death. You're not ninja, you're not even good enough to be in my bingo book, until that happens...you're just brats." Naruko noticed the clone vanished from sight.

_**'He's to your right! Duck!'**_ A weird voice came from the back of Naruko's mind, it sounded like a woman's but she had no time to think about it as she did what the voice said and just barely ducked under a kick from the clone.

"Not bad, but it won't be good enough to save you." Naruko could see that large sword held above the clone's head about to crash down on her.

_**'Roll to your left and throw a kunai at him!'**_ As the sword came down time seemed to slow for the blonde haired girl as she again listened to the voice rolling to the side while simultaneously drawing a kunai. As the sword came down impacting on the dirt Naruko used her strength to fling the kunai at the water clone watching as the knife pierced it's chest making it dissolve into another puddle. Naruko immediately flipped up onto her feet as Sasuke landed close to her.

"Naruko, Sasuke, Sakura! Take Tazuna and go! This isn't a fight you can win! If he wants to keep me here he can't leave the prison!"

"Admirable Kakashi but this ends now." Zabuza made a single handseal and another water clone appeared on the edge of the lake. Before it could even do anything a seemingly focused tremor ripped into it revealing a grinning Naruko who at the moment learned she could direct her strength thanks to the strange voice in her mind.

"Hey freak, what's life without eyebrows?" Zabuza glared at the smiling blonde who cracked her knuckles.

"Got a new listing for your damn bingo book right here, a girl whose gonna be the first female hokage. Uzumaki Naruko, Konoha Genin and Head Bitch in Charge!" For added emphasis Naruko flipped Zabuza off.

"Hey asshole, I got a plan." Sasuke looked at her, despite all that was going on he couldn't help but notice her confident smile and how cute it made her look.

"So **now** you have a plan she-hulk?" Naruko's eye twitched but then she remembered the situation at hand and forgave him...this time. Zabuza was getting annoyed and summoned another water clone from the previous destroyed one who blocked the genin from making it to their sensei.

"What are you two doing?! I told you to get out of here! His clones can only go a certain distance away from him before he loses concentration! Take Tazuna and run!"

"No offense sensei but shut up and let us rescue you! Don't forget what you taught us, shinobi who abandon their teammates are worse then scum!" Kakahsi had to smile inwardly at his students taking his lesson to heart but against Zabuza this was suicide.

"Fools." The clone said.

In the blink of an eye the clone slammed into Sasuke sending him to the ground and standing over him with a foot on his chest.

"Sasuke!" Sakura was worried for Sasuke, even though he was the rookie of the year she just saw him get taken down like it was nothing. Naruko on the other hand was pissed, **nobody** beat up on Sasuke but **her**, he was her personal punching bag/minion!

"Hey freak that's **MY** Uchiha punching bag! Kage Bunshin no jutsu!" Over a dozen clones of Naruko appeared each with a kunai in hand. Zabuza was impressed that a genin knew such a high chakra cost technique and could use it well.

"Shadow clones huh? And quite a lot of them too." All of the clones and Naruko leaped upon the mist assassin hoping to dogpile him into submission but that plan went to hell as he spun his sword around in an omnidirectional arc around him destroying the clones and sending Naruko flying. Naruko dug into her pack and withdrew a weapon hoping that her half-assed plan would work.

"Sasuke catch!" Naruko tossed him a windmill shuriken and she noticed his look of understanding as he caught it and she winked at him which would have made him blush had they not been fighting a crazy assassin ready to kill them.

"Shuriken are useless against me!" The clone said as Sasuke took to the air launching the projectile with all his might. The clone could only watch as the shuriken went right past him towards the true Zabuza.

"At least you were smart enough to target the real me but it won't work...AMATUER!" Zabuza said as he caught it only to notice a split-second later another one just under it. All three genin watched with anticipation as the second shuriken came closer and closer though their hopes were dashed as the assassin simply jumped over the second one.

"As I said, still an amateur!"

Zabuza watched as the Naruko sitting on the ground flipped him off before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

_'A shadow clone? Then where i--'_

"HEY ASSHOLE! AMATEUR THIS!" The second shuriken turned out to be the real Naruko who threw another windmill shuriken at Zabuza watching with a big grin on her face as he let go of the prison to dodge and her grin grew even bigger as she saw she had managed to cut his cheek with her projectile.

_'That little bitch!' _Just as Zabuza was about to launch the shuriken he had caught at her he noticed it was stopped by something. He turned his head only to came face to face with Kakashi's sharingan eye.

"Now Zabuza...it's game over."


	3. Tree Walking and an IOU Favor

**Don't own Naruto, I have a better chance of having a real living catgirl than owning Naruto.**

I am so happy for those who commented saying they like how I've done Naruko! Honestly I don't do much but change Naruto's actual personality around a bit....and make her a bitch sometimes. This story will follow canon for the most part up until shippuden time where it will start to change greatly yet follow the overall storyline. And to those who can guess what favor Naruko will call in from Sasuke later on, you get a cookie!

**Last time on Bad Romance:**

_'That little bitch!' _Just as Zabuza was about to launch the shuriken he had caught at her he noticed it was stopped by something. He turned his head only to came face to face with Kakashi's sharingan eye.

"Now Zabuza...it's game over."

* * *

"Kakahsi-Sensei!**"** Sakura screamed happy to see her teacher joining the battle once again.

Naruko finally surfaced coughing as she gasped for breath.

"Naruko, good job, your scheme worked perfectly. You all have matured, I'm proud of you."

"Thanks sensei!" Naruko smiled, even in the heat of battle she loved being praised.

"Hmph, so you pissed me off enough that I ended up undoing my jutsu."

"No Zabuza, it was broken from without and just so you know, that same trick won't work twice on me. ..your move." Zabuza jumped back and with precision that only came from experience went through all forty-two handseals of Suiton: Water Dragon Missle. But Kakashi also was going through the same handseals at the exact same speed as Zabuza.

"Suiton: Water Dragon Missile!" Both shinobi cried out as the genin squad and Tazuna could only watch in awe as two large dragons made entirely of water emerged and crashed into each other.

_'Holy shit! Kakashi has gotta teach me that!'_ Naruko thought as she watched her sensei and the missing-nin go toe to toe just seconds after the dragons collided.

_'So many seals, and done so quickly. And Kakashi-sensei mirrored them all flawlessly.' _Sasuke wasn't jealous of his sensei, he knew if he had his own sharingan he would've been able to copy them too. All it did was make him strive to unlock his faster.

Zabuza could feel something wasn't going right with this battle. For every move, every little gesture he did Kakashi mirrored it.

_'It's like he sees--'_

"--Through them all."

"Grrr You mimic me like a damn parrot! I'll shut your beak for good!" Zabuza hesitated the moment he saw a copy of himself behind Kakashi doing the same handseal he was currently on. Kakashi took advantage of Zabuza's hesitation and finished the final handseal.

"Suiton: Giant Waterfall!"

"What?! This is absurd!" Zabuza was helpless as the giant vortex of water carried him off, a single thought running through his mind.

_'Before I could even finish my ninjutsu, he used the same technique against me! I cant keep up with him.'_

Zabuza's body slammed against a large tree followed by a shuriken in each limb preventing him from moving.

"That eye of yours Kakashi, can it see the future?"

"Yes, and I forsee your death." Just before Kakashi could plunge his kunai into Zabuza's skull two senbon needles plunged right into the missing-nin's neck killing him.

"Your prediction came true." Said a young teen wearing a swirl mask with a mist symbol on it.

"Thank you for your help, it would have been difficult to kill him myself but you helped me with this admirably."

"Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't you a hunter-nin from Kiri?"

"My you are an observant one! Yes I am a hunter-nin from Kiriga--"

"OKAY WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?! WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?!"

"Naruko, relax that's not an enemy."

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT SENSEI! ZABUZA IS NOW DEAD, WHO NEED I REMIND YOU WASN'T A DAMN PUSHOVER! YET HE GET'S KILLED BY A FUCKING KID MY AGE? WHAT DO WE SUCK OR SOMETHING?"

Kakashi walked over to his student and patted her head which seemed to calm her down for the most part.

"Naruko, I feel for you but this honestly won't be the last time we run into a kid whose younger than you...and stronger than me."

"Forgive me for interrupting your quarrel but I must dispose of the body lest it give up our secrets to our enemies. Goodbye leaf ninja." And with a simple shunshin the young hunter-nin vanished with Zabuza's body.

"Well I suppose it's safe to assume we can now take Tazuna-san home now."

"Yeah you kids can rest at my place!" And before any of them could take a single step Kakashi fell over flat on his face.

_'Damn, must have used the sharingan too much.'_

The team made it to Tazuna's home where his daughter Tsunami was waiting, upon seeing the state of the genin squads teacher she immediately had them put him to bed.

"Kakashi-san, are you going to be okay?"

"I will...in about a week."

"Rest sensei, you'll need to recover your strength." Sakura said worrying if their teacher would be alright.

The next day Kakashi was dead asleep, his genin squad huddled in a corner of the room whispering amongst themselves.

"You do it Naruko."

"Screw you bubblegum you do it or better yet make the genius asshole do it."

"I say Sakura should do it, he will suspect her the least and will not see it coming."

"You really think so Sasuke-kun?" Sasuke nodded, he had to admit the girl was eager to please.

"Okay I'll do it." Naruko and Sasuke watched with smirks on their faces as Sakura crept as quietly as she could towards their sleeping sensei. They had all wondered since day one what he was hiding under that mask and both hoped she was successful. Naruko honestly hoped her sensei was hot, I mean sure she took her career as a kunoichi seriously but damn it all she was still a teenaged girl so she had every right to wonder if her teacher was a hunk under his mask!

Sakura was inches away from grabbing her sensei's mask, her breathing had quickened due to the chance of what her sensei would do if she were caught. Just a split second before her fingers could grab the stretchy material of his mask his hand shot up and grabbed her wrist.

"Sakura, what do you think you're doing?" His eyes weren't even open yet he could tell it was her. In fact she felt like his eyes were watching her underneath his eyelids which creeped her out more than when his eyes slowly slid open revealing his eyes actually **were** looking at her.

"Umm nothing sensei?" She tried to put on the most innocent look possible which only got an eye smile from Kakashi.

"Hmm well since you have enough energy to try and remove my mask perhaps I should start you guys with training." Naruko at hearing this was excited.

"Sweet! What are we gonna learn sensei? The shunshin? That bad-ass water dragon attack? Oooh I'm so excited!" Both Kakashi and Sasuke smiled at how girlish Naruko was acting, it was cute to see the normally tomboyish girl acting....well girly.

"When we get outside Naruko I'll explain the training but right now help me up please."

"Sure sensei."

As Kakashi led his students to a forest clearing he was wondering something about the hunter-nin from the day before. He felt he was missing a very important detail, something very vital, then it hit him. The "hunter-nin" didn't dispose of Zabuza's body immediately and used senbon needles to kill him which were tools normally used for acupuncture.

"Well I guess it's a good thing I'm going to train you guys since I just figured out Zabuza isn't really dead." All three of his genin looked at him wide-eyed while he simply smiled his eye smile and scratched the back of his head. There was a moment of silence in the clearing before Naruko broke it.

"Smooth sensei...very smooth."

Kakashi just chuckled ignoring his student's remark.

"So what are you gonna teach us oh forgetful sensei?"

"I'm going to teach you to climb trees." His team looked at him like he was crazy.

"Without your hands." Now they definitely thought he was mad.

"Sensei, did Zabuza kick you a little too hard? You feeling okay?" Kakashi laughed, both he and Obito had thought Minato-sensei was crazy when he first told them about the chakra control exercise. Rin being a medic-nin already knew about it so it didn't bother her.

"No Naruko, I assure you I am fine. I thought the same thing when I was your age, here it might be better if I show you what I mean." Kakashi put his hands in a ram seal and with the crutches walked up the tree until he was hanging from a branch by his feet.

"See? This is what I mean."

"That is so cool!" Naruko screamed, she was hoping for the water dragon jutsu but this would do....for now.

"How do we do that Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, knowing they needed to find out before Naruko charged the tree. Which Sakura knew she would due to her impatience.

"I'm glad you asked Sakura, you need to channel chakra through your feet to allow you to stick to the tree. The feet are the hardest part of the body to channel chakra through so this will help you increase your chakra control which will help you use less chakra when using jutsus." Kakashi pulled out three kunai and threw them towards his genin each looking at the knife that landed at their feet.

"Use those kunai to mark your progress, I don't expect each of you to reach the treetop on the first try, also I would recommend a running start to gain some momentum."

"No problem! This should be easy!" Naruko said twirling the kunai on her finger.

"Less talk, more action Naruko."

Naruko nodded and all three formed the Ram handseal, the ground around their feet glowing blue from the slightly flaring chakra.

"Let's fucking do this!"

_'...I really gotta do something about her foul language...how would Minato-sensei and Kushina-san handle that...oh right she's their daughter they could just simply punish her....sigh I never want kids.'_

The genin of Squad 7 took off running towards their respective trees. Sasuke made it only a few steps before the amount of chakra he was using blew him off the tree with a small explosion of wood. Sakura made it to the very top while Naruko made it halfway up before having to mark her progress and leap down.

"She-hulk how were you and Sakura able to get so far while I simply blew off?" Kakashi cleared his throat at this point before Naruko could make a remark about being better.

"I can explain that Sasuke, when you put too much chakra the surface's own energy will repel you off, too little and you'll never stick. The reason Sakura and Naruko were able to go so far is simple, females tend to have small chakra reserves which in turn means their chakra control is enormous, Naruko is an exception because she has much higher than normal reserves for a female so while her control isn't near perfect like Sakura's she has better control than the average male." Kakashi could see his blonde student smiling, he could tell she was soaking up his praise like a sponge.

_'This is how it should always be for her in the village, praise and thanks, not scorn and hate.' _

"You as a male tend to normally have high chakra reserves which means average to below average control. This is the main reason why most of the best genjustu specialists and medic-nins tend to be female though as seen with Naruko this is not always the case. Try again Sasuke but try to use less chakra this time." Naruko walked over to Sasuke and slapped his back.

"Don't worry asshole, you'll get it. I mean you **are** the rookie of the year." Sasuke would've smirked until he heard Naruko laugh, she had finally found something she was immediately better at than Sasuke and was gonna rub this in his face as much as possible.

Watching them from behind a tree was a young boy wearing a bucket hat watching as the three ninja went about their training before walking away the memory of a smiling man in his mind.

_'Fools...their wasting their time...'_

In a hidden base up in the treetops of a forest in wave Zabuza was resting his body, his faithful tool Haku watching over him and trying to speed up his recovery.

"Haku, you have all the finesse of a butcher. Did you have to hit my neck?"

"Zabuza-sama, I didn't want to scar your body besides the neck was easier to target during the chaos of your battle." Haku said with an innocent smile.

"You're a sadistic one that's for sure." Zabuza mumbled getting a giggle from his tool. A voice from the doorway drew their attention.

"It seems ninja from Kiri are overrated it seems, you got some nerve showing your face around here after taking a beating like that." Gato, a small pudgy dwarf of a man stood there in his pressed suit with two samurai bodyguards flanking him.

"You can't even clean up for your miserable subordinates, "the demon" yeah right!" Zabuza kept quiet though he palmed a kunai under the blanket covering him knowing he would have no problem taking the dwarf's arm off if he so much as even thought about touching him.

Both Gato's bodyguards reached for their swords only for Gato to motion for them to stop.

"Hold it you two, so what Zabuza? Got nothing to say for yourself? No last words?" Slowly Gato reached for Zabuza's neck inching closer and closer, Zabuza gripped the kunai in his hand and was about to swing before Haku grabbed Gato's arm and squeezed hard breaking the pudgy man's arm.

"You will not touch my Zabuza-sama." The look in Haku's eyes was pure cold-hearted muder. Gato's bodyguards both began to draw their swords but in an instance their swords were in Haku's hands and the blades against their throats drawing a small line of blood.

"You don't want to do that...not when I'm angry."

_'This kid...is some kind of monster!'_ Gato and his guards thought before moving away from Zabuza and Haku.

"Zabuza there had better not be anymore mistakes! Understood?! If you fail again don't even think you can come back here!" All three left and for a minute no spoke.

"Haku...there was no need for you..."

"I know...but it's too soon to finish him off. If we cause a commotion here we'll have to run again. And besides, he doesn't deserve to touch you." Zabuza looked at the teen for a moment before snorting and trying to go to sleep.

* * *

Sasuke couldn't understand it, he was an Uchiha, not only that he was the rookie of the year....SO WHY WAS TREE-WALKING SO DAMN HARD FOR HIM?! He glared at the tree which he was sure was glaring back at him for all the foot shaped holes and slash marks that were now in it. Sakura was allowed to go in to eat while both he and Naruko weren't allowed until they made it to at least where Sakura had gotten. Naruko seemed to be doing much better than him which also annoyed him. Sure she tended to be better than him in taijutsu...mainly for the fact due to her super-strength taijutsu against Naruko was suicide but still he dominated her in everything else...until it came to chakra control it seems.

He looked over at his teammate who was now doing some side stretches before she tried tree-walking again. She had taken off her orange jumpsuit jacket and now he could see how well developed she was compared to the other girls in the class due to her black t-shirt hugging her body which made Sasuke gulp and blush. Contrary to popular belief the last Uchiha, like every growing adolescent male was interested in females but he was looking for a certain one, one that was strong enough to stand beside him, because while he would protect his wife from any threat it wouldn't be good if she couldn't properly defend herself as well. Plus he still had to worry about Itachi possibly using his wife against him so until his brother was dead he couldn't afford to be in any romantic relationship. He could hear Naruko mumble about hating her big boobs and had to look away so she wouldn't see his cheeks flush.

"Hey she-hulk."

"What asshole?" Naruko said but her voice held no malice or anger, it was just simply her pet name for him like she-hulk was for her.

"Do...do you...um...do you think..."

"You want some help with this?" Sasuke nodded and Naruko had to hold in a squeal/laugh at seeing his cheeks blush, he looked so cute trying to ask for help but make it seem like he wasn't. Such a typical prideful boy...

"Sure I'll help you...if you do something for me." Sasuke gave a funy look. If it were Sakura or Ino or any of his other fangirls he would've expected her to ask him for a date but Naruko thankfully was not a fangirl which he respected her for.

"What do you want? Money? Ramen? One of my clan's fire jutsus?"

"Tempting, all very tempting, but no I don't want any of those. In fact I can't think of something I want right now so I'll take an I.O.U.. I'll collect my favor from you some other time okay?" Sasuke was worried what this favor would be and when she would collect it.

"Okay then, just remind me when you do call your favor in."

"Okay!" Naruko wrapped her arm around Sasuke and put him a choke hold which happened to place his face by her breasts making him blush but Naruko was too busy to notice.

"Alrighty then, now if I recall correctly it takes mental concentration to generate and manipulate chakra so you can't be all distracted, you gotta have a clear mind!" She said while still holding his head in the choke hold.

"Clear...head..got it." Sasuke said but his mind was far from clear as Naruko's left breast kept getting in his face.

_'What is she, a C cup?! She's probably the most developed girl of our age group!'_

Naruko let go of Sasuke and bent over to stretch reaching for her toes feeling her back pop a few times. Sasuke at this moment happened to look up and come face to face...with Naruko's behind. Sasuke's world froze as he felt his shorts getting tighter.

_'Think about my revenge, jutsus, that old cat lady down the street from me, rotten food, Naruko's ass just a few inches from my face, NO, NO, NO!, shurikens, cold showers, kunai, cold showers.'_

It was then Naruko stood up, crossed her legs over one another and bent over again, moaning as her back popped again.

_'KAKASHI NAKED ON A COLD DAY! KAKASHI NAKED ON A COLD DAY!'_

* * *

Both Naruko and Sasuke were eating at the table, Sasuke had been quiet ever since Naruko gave him that tip though she did notice he did do a little better after.

"Sasuke, Naruko, you both took an awful long time to finish today? What happened?"

Naruko swallowed her last bit of rice before speaking, offering her bowl for seconds as well.

"It's like you said earlier Kakashi-sensei, we got too much chakra and stamina. Plus Sasuke was saying something about feeling weird." Sasuke almost choked on his rice and began repeatedly hitting his chest before he could swallow properly.

Kakashi watched this and knew something happened between the two, but couldn't figure out what.

_'I can't believe I missed possible juicy gossip. Just my luck.'_

"Why do you all train so hard?! Don't you know Gato is just going to kill you?!" came a voice from the stairs. Team 7 looked and saw Inari standing there, an upset look on his face. Before Kakashi could speak Naruko cut him off.

"I train hard because I have things to prove, to not only myself, but to my team, to my village, to everyone."

"You don't know anything about us! You act tough but you don't know what it's like to suffer!" At that point Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke all went quiet.

That...was not a subject you bring up around Naruko.

Kakashi could see his student clenching her shaking fists and hanging her head low.

"I...don't know what's it like to suffer? You're telling me, that I don't know what it's like to fucking suffer?!" Naruko stood up a look of pure anger in her eyes, before anyone could do anything Naruko was across the room holding Inari up by the collar of his shirt.

"Listen up you little shit, don't ever fucking tell me that I don't know the meaning of suffering! You like having a mom and grandpa?! Good, enjoy them because I never got to! I never grew up with a mom and dad or any family whatsoever! You ever get picked by your village? No? Well I do, every single damn day, I deal with glares, hateful remarks, so much shit it would make you cry! I know full god-damned well what suffering is, in fact I still suffer! Ever since my birth I've had to suffer!" Naruko dropped Inari to the ground and gave him a cold look promising pain if he ever mentioned this again.

"Kid, don't ever fucking tell me that I don't know suffering. Enjoy coming home to your loving family every night...because I don't get that damn luxury." With that Naruko walked out of the house and slammed the door which with her super-strength caused the house to shake slightly. Inari began to sniffle before running up the stairs. Kakashi looked at Tazuna who he could see was shocked.

"I'm sorry Tazuna-san, that is a very touchy subject for her."

"I can see that, is it really that bad for her?"

Kakashi simply nodded. Sasuke and Sakura were worried. They had never, ever seen Naruko blow up like that. Even when called a bitch she never blew up like **that**. Sasuke was about to get up but Kakashi's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Let her go Sasuke, she needs time to cool off. Bringing her back now would just set her off again. If she doesn't return tonight I'll send you to get her in the morning." Sasuke didn't like it, but he agreed.

The last thing anyone wanted was Naruko destroying the house or Inari.

Meanwhile Naruko went back to the clearing where they started tree-walking and just as she got to the center of the clearing she took a deep breath before going off.

"STUPID FUCKING KID! WHERE THE HELL DOES HE GET OFF TELLING ME THAT SHIT?! RAAAAAGH!" Naruko slammed her fist into a tree and completely shattered the trunk, a large cannonball sized hole where thick wood once was.

"THE FUCKING NERVE OF HIM! HE'S LUCKY HE'S A DAMN KID OR I'D FUCKING KILL HIM! HEYAAAH!" Naruko swung her leg out and her leg slammed into a tree trunk seemingly caving the trunk in.

"HE THINKS HE'S GOT IT BAD?! I'M THE ONE WHO NEVER GOT A DAMN GOODNIGHT KISS FROM MY MOTHER! OR HAVE SOMEONE TELL ME THEY FUCKING LOVE ME! ALL I EVER GET IS BRAT, GO BACK TO HELL, SUCCUBUS, OR SOME OTHER SHIT LIKE THAT! ARRRRRGH!" Naruko slammed her fingers into the ground and pulled tearing an enormous chunk of earth out which she hurled at the tree she kicked making it break and fall into another tree.

Throughout the whole night the sound of Naruko's screaming and trees being destroyed were all that the forest heard.

The next morning everyone but Naruko was gathered around the table as Tsunami made breakfast.

"I guess Naruko stayed out all night huh?" Tazuna rubbed the back of his neck to get the kinks out before he had to go back to the bridge.

"Ever since that little argument with Inari." Kakashi said while reading his Icha Icha. He figured his student would be out all night. In fact knowing Naruko he was sure the area where they trained was completely and utterly annihilated.

"That idiot better be okay, with the way she overreacts it's possible she could kill herself."

"Don't worry too much Sasuke, Naruko maybe a temperamental, goofy girl but she is a full-fledged ninja. In fact why don't you go get her? I'm sure she's hungry by now."

Back in the clearing Naruko was on her back sleeping peacefully, covered in dirt and grass stains while a stranger crouched over her body. The stranger's hand looked like it was reaching menacingly for her neck but instead it grabbed her shoulder and shook it.

"You'll catch a cold if you keep sleeping on the ground you know."

"Huh? Whut? Who are you?" Naruko said rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

"Oh forgive me, my name is Haku."

"Uzumaki Naruko, at your service."

"Naruko, would you mind helping me pick some herbs?"

"Sure (yawn) it'll help me wake up."

About 20 minutes later Naruko grabbed a few more herbs and placed them in the basket Haku had brought.

"These weeds and such are really medicinal?"

"I'm sorry to have imposed on you." Naruko waved it off.

"I'll just think of this as beginner medical training."

"Training? So you're a ninja?"

"Yup, the best there is...or at least soon to be the best."

"What are you training for?"

"Many reasons, to get stronger, to be respected, to prove a point to a snot-nosed brat, to take over the world, you know the usual." Haku giggled, this girl even though she was the enemy was funny.

"Do you have anyone special in your life Naruko-san?"

"Like in what way? Romantically? I honestly doubt that will ever happen where I live."

"Tee-hee, no I mean do you have people who are precious to you? People you would gladly fight for to protect."

Naruko thought and immediately Iruka, old man Hokage, Teuchi, Ayame, Kakashi, Sakura, and even Sasuke came to mind.

"Oh special like that! Yeah I do."

"Then you will truly be strong, I know we'll meet again so you should know now..."

Naruko listened intently, Haku was kind to say that about her.

"I'm a...."

**A/N: DUN DUN DUN! CLIFFHANGER! Okay not really but I felt this was a good place to stop because I have come to a slight dilemma, despite the fact I am a very avid supporter of the "Haku is a girl" theory I DID say I was going to mostly go canon with this. So I figured, screw this I'll let my readers decide. Should Haku be a boy? or a girl? Leave your vote in your review, majority vote wins. Also try and guess what favor she'll call in from Sasuke later on, I honestly wanna see what you all come up with.**


	4. ENTER THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH!

"I'm a boy." Naruko was stunned. No scratch that she was beyond stunned, in fact she couldn't even find a word to describe how she felt. There was no possible way in hell this guy in front of her was not a girl, hell he was even girlier than Sakura which said quite a lot. Haku giggled at Naruko's stupefied expression as he left the clearing. Naruko wasn't the first to think he was a girl and probably wouldn't be the last. As the mist ninja left the clearing he passed by Sasuke who eyed him suspiciously.

"Hey she-hulk, breakfast is ready. Kakashi sent me to get you."

"Alright I'm coming. Huh the world is an interesting place sometimes don't you think?"

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke looked at the blonde like she was crazy.

"Nothing, just rambling."

The next morning Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke all were gearing up to go to the bridge while Naruko slept on. She had done all night training again and they wanted to make sure her chakra reserves filled up properly.

"Just let Naruko know where to find us Tsunami-san." Kakashi said as he led his other two students away.

The sunlight filtered into the room where Naruko slept hitting her on the face to which she groaned and rolled over.

"Stupid sun, go the fuck away." A scream from downstairs alerted Naruko to danger and she immediately got her sandals on forgetting about her jacket. Silently she climbed out of the window in the room and made her way along the roof of the house where she could see Tsunami being held hostage by two thugs wielding katanas, a frightened Inari about ready to charge them.

_'Stupid kid is gonna get himself killed!'_ Pumping chakra to her legs Naruko leaped off the roof copying one of Gai's most infamous moves.

"DYNAMIC...ENTRY!!!" Her foot collided with one of the thugs jaw sending him flying off the pier and skipping across the water like a ragdoll. In the confusion Naruko switched Tsunami with a log.

"Naruko!"

"Told you heroes exist kid, we just tend to show up at the last second!" She said with a thumbs up to which the kid smiled.

"You little shit! Can't you see I have a hostage?!"

"I didn't realize I was supposed to give a damn about a log." The thug looked down and saw he no longer had the boy's mother in his arms but a wooden log.

"Now unless you want to end up like your partner I suggest you run."

"You really think I'm gonna run from a little shit like you?!" The thug charged Naruko and swung his sword vertically slicing through what he thought was Naruko but in reality was just another log. Naruko's fists both slammed into the sides of his head knocking him out.

"Inari, help me tie him up, his partner was knocked unconscious from my kick so most likely he's drowned. Hurry I need to get to the bridge, if these shitheads are here then that means Gato is probably attacking the bridge." Both of them managed to tie the thug up which Naruko tossed Inari a kunai and told him to keep his mom safe while she took off towards the bridge.

Meanwhile on said bridge Kakashi was busy handling Zabuza again while Sakura guarded Tazuna and Sasuke was currently facing Haku in what appeared to be a dome of mirrors.

_'Damn I knew I should've woken up Naruko, she would've fully recharged her chakra by the time we got here and both Sasuke and I could use some help.'_

Just as Zabuza was about to charge Kakashi a lone kunai landed in front of him, he was about to ignore it until he saw the exploding tag attached to it.

"Shit!" Zabuza backed away just in time to avoid the explosion which was accompanied by a loud voice.

"NEVER FEAR THE HEAD BITCH IN CHARGE IS HERE!"

_'She has the element of surprise and she ruins it...only Naruko. Then again she's not called the number one unpredictable ninja for nothing.'_

Sasuke could see Naruko had arrived and smirked. With her here she could attack from outside while he distracted---

"Hey asshole, I'm here to save you." Naruko whispered in his ear.

…So much for that plan.

"You she-hulk, have a very nasty habit of ruining plans you know that?"

"Oh shush asshole, just be happy I care enough about you to want to save you. So whats up with the mirrors?"

"He uses them to move at high speeds and pelt me with senbon. My fire jutsus can't melt them and while my sharingan has finally activated it's not fully matured so I can't fully track him."

"Okay, so how about I attack the mirrors while you keep him off my back?"

"That was the original plan only you were supposed to be outside of the dome!" Both had to dodge as a barrage of senbon came flying at them.

"I am sorry but it is time I end this." The hunter-nin began going from mirror to mirror making it hard for either to keep up, it was only until Sasuke saw another barrage of needles heading towards Naruko that he did something he never thought he would do, he pushed her out of the way and took the hit for her. Naruko looked up at Sasuke and saw he was riddled with needles and had a slight smile on his face.

"Sasuke you asshole, why? Why did you do it?"

"Truthfully she-hulk, I don't know why, my body sort of moved on it's on. Damnit I can't die here, I still need to kill my brother. Do me a favor Naruko and survive. Survive and fulfill your dream." With that Sasuke stopped moving leaving a silent Naruko holding the last Uchiha. She may have called him an asshole and made it seemed like she hated him but she didn't in fact he was one of the few she could call a true friend.

"Your friend died like a true shinobi, protecting someone that was precious to him." It was the hunter-nin's voice that brought Naruko back to reality. Sasuke's killer was still alive, her Uchiha punching bag, her friend was dead in her arms because of him.

_'He will pay dearly.'_ She thought as something inside her snapped and red chakra flowed around her body changing her once blue eyes to a blood red, her already elongated canines into full fangs, and her nails into claws.

"**You'll pay for what you did to Sasuke! I'll fucking kill you!"**

Haku was for once scared, this malevolent red chakra that surrounded the blonde girl was practically oozing killing intent.

_'Wh...what chakra is this?!'_

The red chakra seemed to coalesce into the shape of a fox's head above Naruko's body while looking at Haku.

_'Impossible! Her chakra is physically manifesting itself! And what an appalling chakra it is!'_

Haku watched as the wounds inflicted on the blonde girl seemed to close on their own, steam rising off of them as they sealed shut.

_'Her wounds...they're healing themselves! Who...what on earth is she?'_

Naruko looked over her shoulder at Haku, her bloodthirst evident in her eyes as she glared at the mask wearing nin.

* * *

Both Kakashi and Zabuza both felt the malevolent chakra that washed over the bridge.

"Is this Zabuza's doing?"

_'NO! That power! So foul...and evil...yet familiar....it can't be!'_ Kakashi's eyes widened at his realization.

_'This chakra I'm feeling, something about it fills me with dread, is this Kakashi's doing? No it seems bigger than Kakashi somehow, but who is giving it off?'_ Zabuza clenched his sword in his hand tightly fearing an attack from all sides by whoever was emanating that powerful chakra.

_'Naruko! Unbelievable, after all this time, has her seal begun to unravel? Has it broken? No, I can sense we're safe for now, **IT** hasn't broken through yet...not completely. But the seal has slipped or cracked a little, I can feel it's power bleeding through. Which means I need to hurry!'_

"Listen up Zabuza, I'm a busy man and you're a busy man. We've both got a lot on our plates so let's stop screwing around and wrap this up? One big move, winner takes all?" Kakashi pulled out a small scroll and unraveled it smearing some blood from his earlier cut across the length of the scroll before rolling it back up and focusing chakra into it.

"An intriguing notion, What's left Kakashi? Show me what you've got!"

* * *

Meanwhile back in the dome Naruko turned to face Haku and her face became a snarl as she crouched slightly.

_'She's attacking! She's so bloodthirsty! Completely different from the girl I met yesterday!' _Haku threw several senbon needles at the charging Naruko who with a mere roar deflected them away from her.

Haku used this chance to move to another mirror, completely surprised at what he just saw.

"She deflected them...without even touching them!" Haku drew three senbon and charged towards Naruko who merely punched the ground and sprung to the side dodging the ice user's attack.

_'I've got to make it to the next mirror!'_ Before Haku could even try to make it Naruko had grabbed a hold of his arm squeezing with all her considerable might.

_'This is bad! I can't stand withstand her chakra anymore!'_ With a roar Naruko crushed Haku's arm making him lose focus for a moment which is all she needed to punch him in the face, sending him through one of his mirrors which made him break the justus making the other mirrors shatter as well. Naruko took off once she saw the hunter-nin get up charging towards him with the intent to finish him off. She would have succeeded too had the mist nin's mask not shattered revealing the boy she had met the previous day.

"You're...that boy from yesterday!" Naruko's features went back to normal as the foxe's chakra dissipated from her body.

"Why did you stop?"

"..."

"I murdered your comrade, your friend, someone you care about...and you still spare me?!" Naruko looked over and saw Sasuke's needle ridden body which caused her to follow through with her punch sending Haku to the ground.

"What happened to all that power from before? You can't hope to kill me with that force you put behind that punch. Finish me off, Zabuza-sama has no use for a weak shinobi."

"Grrr why waste all that devotion on such an asshole?! That mercenary scumbag doesn't care who he works for or who gets hurt as long as he gets paid! Is that browless freak really precious to you?"

"I was precious once. When I was little I lived with my parents in a snowy little village in Kiri. But when I got old enough something happened. Blood. My Blood."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"My father killed my mother and tried to kill me. Kiri has been plagued by a civil war of sorts, with the two sides being those with bloodline abilities or Kekkei Genkai and those without. After the war those of us with kekkei genkai were hunted down, and those of us who survived did so because we hid our abilities. I'm sure that boy I killed grew up knowing the pain I speak. We are special, we are powerful, but most of all we are feared. My father learned that my mother came from a clan that had a bloodline and before I even realized what happened, I had killed my father. Then it came to me, I had to accept it, which was the hardest thing."

"Accept what?"

"That I was alone in the world, shunned, unwanted. Didn't you tell me you wanted respect from your village? If someone, just one person not only did that but acknowledged you, even cared for you, wouldn't that one person become the most precious person in the whole world to you?" At that moment an image of Iruka flashed through Naruko's head.

"Zabuza-sama adopted me, knowing who I was and what I was. The very thing people hated me for he didn't. In fact he cherished it, he wanted it! I...I was so happy. Naruko, please...take my life."

* * *

Kakashi flipped through handseals while still holding the scroll before slamming it down on the ground.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu! Doton: Tsuiga no jutsu!"

"That posturing will get you nowhere Kakashi. I have you completely in my spell!" A small sound alerted Zabuza as several ninja dogs erupted from the ground each biting him to hold him in place.

"When your eyes and ears fail you, you can always follow your nose. This jutsu is specifically made for tracking, it's why I went out of my way to bleed during our little bouts. My nin pups have your scent, the fog is lifting and your future is clear. Your future is death."

"Ha I've had enough of your bluffs Kakashi."

"Whose bluffing? You're going to die one way or another. You're willing to let Wave suffer to advance your own ambitions. That is not what a true shinobi does.

"Spare me the philosophy lesson, I'm fighting for my own ideals and I'm not about to stop." Kakashi flipped through three handseals before his right hand became covered in lightning chakra.

"Your future...is death."

* * *

"What are you waiting for Naruko?"

"Okay I get it you don't like losing but wanting to die just because I beat you is crazy! There is more to you than just fighting, your boss has to like you more than just that right?"

"Naruko, the day I met you in the forest I was thinking we were the same. Surely you can understand. I'm sorry you have to bloody your hands."

"Is there no other way?"

"No Naruko, there isn't. I hope...I hope you make your dream come true."

"Sasuke...he had a dream too. I just wish we had met some other way, someplace else. We could have been friends, you and I."

Naruko pulled a kunai out and charged towards Haku.

_'Thank you Naruko. You're going to be very strong one day.'_

Just before Naruko made it to Haku he sensed something was wrong with Zabuza and caught Naruko's hand.

"I'm sorry Naruko, but I can't die just yet." With his lone hand Haku flipped through handseals and conjured a mirror and vanished.

"Haku!"

Kakashi charged towards Zabuza intent on thursting his Raikiri through him to find that his hand was now through the young hunter-nin Haku.

"Zabuza-s..sama"

"Well Kakashi, you said my future was death but it seems you were wrong again."

Naruko could see figures in the mist and rushed towards them only to see Kakahsi's hand through Haku's chest.

Zabuza grabbed his sword and swung it towards Kakashi who shunshined away with Haku's body where he laid it down and closed his eyes.

"So it seems you were able to get away just because poor Haku was already dead."

_'That bastard!_' Naruko was about to charge Zabuza when Kakashi's voice stopped her.

"Naruko, stay out of this, this is my fight!"

"Naruko! You're alive!" Naruko turned to see Sakura guarding Tazuna.

_'Oh shit, Sakura...this won't end well.'_

"What about Sasuke?" Naruko's silence plus her frown didn't sit well with Sakura who froze as if her whole world was now shattered. Kakashi was listening in and when he didn't hear Naruko respond to Sakura's question he knew what it meant.

"Don't let yourself get distracted Kakashi!" Zabuza charged Kakashi who ducked low and kicked him in the gut knocking the breath out of him.

"Sakura-san, I'll stay with you, so you're not disobeying your sensei." Both Sakura and Tazuna ran past Naruko who kept her head down and was shaking, her fists clenched tightly.

Sakura and Tazuna both saw Sasuke's body covered in needles. Sakura felt his body and it felt so cold. Tazuna could see the girl was fighting to hold it in.

"It's okay to let it out, there are times when you just have to cry, don't hold it in for my sake."

Sakura was silent for a moment before she spoke.

"I used to always get perfect scores on my tests. One of these tests had a question. What is rule number 25 of shinobi conduct? And like always I simply answered it. "No matter what happens, a true shinobi must never...ever show their emotions! Th-the mission is the only priority. Carry that in your heart and never ever shed a tear."" Sakura broke down, tears of sadness dropping on Sasuke's face.

_'So this is what a shinobi is...how horrible it is...to make children go through that.'_ Tazuna thought as he watched the pink haired girl cry over her teammate.

Naruko clenched her heart knowing she was the reason Sakura was crying, was the reason Sasuke was dead. Never again could she smile at him and call him an asshole, never again would he give her that cute but arrogant smirk and call her she-hulk. He just had to be a hero, he couldn't have just been a self-centered jerk and saved his own skin. That asshole just had to be a nice guy to her and protect her.

Zabuza couldn't understand it, Kakashi was batting him aside like he was a pest and try as he might to hit him he couldn't seem to land one blow on the copy nin. Before he even knew what was going on Kakashi had his hand on the back of Zabuza's neck and plunged two kunai into each of his major arm muscles.

"There now you can't use either arm." A voice from the end of the bridge caught all their attention.

"Well well well, he's certainly made a fine mess of you. What a pity Zabuza!"

"Gato, what are you doing here? And why did you bring all of **them?**"

"Simple, their has been a slight change of plans, or of your plans anyways. You must have guessed I never did intend to pay you. It's such a hassle hiring skilled shinobi, so expensive and their village and friends tend to be upset when you kill them. Nukenin on the other hand, no one cares what happens to you when the job is done. When you ninja wear each other down, common thugs can finish the rest, it's a good business plan, cheap and effective. Hiring you was probably my worst mistake. You're no demon, a baby demon maybe."

"Kakashi it seems I am now unemployed which means our differences are settled."

"Yeah, looks like it."

"There still is one thing to do." Gato walked over to Haku's corpse and started kicking it which made Naruko take off only to be stopped by Kakashi.

"Naruko, cool it, there are a lot of them there."

"GRR HEY WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING DAMNIT?! HE WORKED FOR YOU! PRACTICALLY FUCKING WORSHIPPED YOU!"

"Like what? Haku is dead."

"BUT SHOULDN'T YOU CARE? THAT FAT BASTARD IS DESECRATING HIS CORPSE!"

"Kid, Haku and I were used, that's what happens to shinobi. I didn't value Haku for himself, but for the power his blood carried and what his talents could do for me. I apologize for nothing."

"You really mean that?"

"Naruko, enough! Our quarrel is over, leave him alone."

"GRR SHUT UP! HE'S STILL MY ENEMY ESPECIALLY IF HE WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT HAKU! HE REALLY CARED ABOUT YOU! HE WAS FUCKING DEVOTED TO YOU! BUT TO YOU THAT'S NOTHING, THAT HE WAS NOTHING, YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU DON'T FEEL A DAMN THING?! ARE YOU REALLY THAT FUCKING HEARTLESS?! HE...HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR YOU...he died...without any of his dreams coming true...that's...too much...too cruel."

"Kid...."

Naruko looked up at Zabuza and could see he was crying just like she was.

"Not...another word. Kid, what Haku did was not just for me. While he fought his heart broke over you...and your friends. That is the honest truth. He was too kind, too gentle. I'm glad girl my last battle was against you. You're right you know. We may be shinobi but in the end we're just simply human, with all the feelings involved and I have now lost everything. Girl, would you lend me your kunai?"

Naruko sniffled and tossed it to the missing-nin who had now chewed through the bandages covering his face and took off towards Gato and his men.

"What are you all waiting for? Kill him!" Zabuza flared his chakra which like Naruko's seem to transform into a monstrous shape scaring all of the thugs.

"A...a demon!" Gato thought he was safe behind his men until he saw Zabuza slaughtering them all with just a kunai in his mouth taking swords, picks, and other weapons in his back. Gato could only watch in horror as Zabuza stabbed the kunai into his chest.

"W..why won't you die? If you're in such a hurry to be with your little friend, go alone!"

"I have no intention of going to the same place as Haku. I'm taking you with me to Hell! Even a baby demon in life can grow up into a real demon in Hell!" Zabuza pulled the kunai out and in one swift motion cut off Gato's head staring the rest of the thugs in the face, his eyes hardened daring any of them to charge him.

_'Looks like this is goodbye for now Haku. Thanks for everything...and I'm sorry.'_

Zabuza fell to the ground leaving a stunned Naruko who then began to close her eyes.

"Naruko, don't look away, that was the end of a man who lived his life fully."

Sakura continued sobbing over Sasuke's body which unseen to her had twitched.

"Sakura...your arm...is heavy." Sakura blinked once, then twice just to make sure it wasn't a dream. Sasuke really was alive.

"SASUKE! SASUKE!"

"Sakura...you're hurting me!"

"Oh I'm sorry!"

"I'm alright, how's Naruko? And that creep in the mask?"

"Don't try to move! Naruko's fine and the boy in the mask is dead!"

"What?! Did Naruko?!"

"No..I'm not sure, the boy died protecting Zabuza from Kakahsi-sensei. Naruko! It's Sasuke! He's alive!" Naruko turned to see if she was telling the truth only to see Sasuke standing waving his arm at her weakly.

Naruko ran over to them and it seemed to all she was going to hug Sasuke....until her fist slammed into his jaw.

"YOU'RE SUCH AN ASSHOLE SASUKE!"

"NARUKO! SASUKE'S INJURED! DON'T PUNCH HIM!" Naruko ignored her teammate and grabbed Sasuke by his collar dragging him close to her.

"You dumbass! Of all the stupid idiotic things to do! Why? Why when you could've just let me take the hit?!"

"What's wrong she-hulk? Worried about me?" Naruko punched Sasuke in the gut causing to lose his breath.

"FUCK YES I WAS WORRIED ABOUT YOU YOU ASSHOLE! I HAD THOUGHT YOU HAD GOTTEN KILLED FOR ME! Do you have any idea how traumatic that is? Well do you?" Sasuke was silent and Naruko in the heat of the moment did something she would have never imagined doing....she kissed him...hard.

As she pulled away she could see Sasuke was not expecting that...hell she herself wasn't to be honest.

"Sasuke...don't you ever...ever make me worry like that again understood?!" Sasuke could see if he didn't say yes she probably actually would kill him so he nodded.

"Good...asshole." Sasuke had to smirk, he figured she was just upset with him for the whole dying thing...then again who wouldn't be mad at their friend for pulling a stunt like that?

"AREN'T YOU SWEETHEARTS FORGETTING SOMETHING?! YOU JUST KILLED OUR MEAL TICKET! NOW THE ONLY WAY TO BREAK EVEN IS TO LOOT THE TOWN!"

A lone crossbow bolt landed in front of the group of thugs. Naruko and the others turned to see Inari and the villagers all armed ready to defend their home.

"STOP RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE! THIS IS OUR HOME! COME ONE STEP CLOSER AND YOU'LL DIE WHERE YOU STAND!"

"Inari!"

"A hero always arrive at the last second y'know?"

Naruko smiled and formed a familiar cross handseal.

"Mind if I join you? Kage bunshin no jutsu!" Over a dozen Naruko's stood there ready to fight the thugs.

_'I can't manage anything solid with my chakra this low but a bluff should be enough to scare these guys off!'_

"Kage bunshin no jutsu! Kakashi-style!" over a hundred copies of Kakashi stood all armed with kunai and doing handseals.

"Now shall we?"

"NEVERMIND! RUN AWAY!" The thugs started running and jumping over each other to get off the bridge. They had all seen what Zabuza had done to them and he was **one **ninja, never mind the hundreds that were now on the bridge.

The bridge was safe now, and Gato was dead meaning Wave was now safe. Everyone including the ninjas that helped protect them could rest easy.

A week later Sasuke was resting his body. Kakashi had wanted him to take it easy due to the injuries that Haku had given him. While they weren't life threatening moving around too much would mean he would have to be bed-ridden for that much longer. He stared at the ceiling and heard someone come into his room. He figured it was Sakura and closed his eyes. This wouldn't have been the first time she came in to check up on him so he had come to expect it what he did not expect was hearing Naruko's voice.

"Hey Sasuke...you awake?"

".....Yeah. What do you want she-hulk?" She smiled, it was good to hear him call her that. Anyone else and she'd be pissed but after what happened she decided to let him get away with it. She lightly flicked his forehead as a small way of punishing him. After all she couldn't let him completely get away with it.

"I...I never got to tell you thank you. You know...for saving me on the bridge. You're the first person to...you know...stick their neck out for me."

"This is really hard for you isn't it she-hulk?"

"WELL SORRY I'M NOT USED TO GUYS SAVING MY LIFE SO FORGIVE ME OH LORD UCHIHA IF I'M NEW TO THE WHOLE THANKING YOU THING!" Sasuke had to smirk, the pouty look she had on her face was cute.

"I just wanted to say thank you. You saving me means a lot...just don't expect it to be a regular occurrence okay?" Sasuke was about to tell her to go to sleep when he felt her lips on his again for the second time since the mission to Wave started.

_'Her lips are so soft...'_

"Thanks for being my knight in shining armor...even if it'll never happen again. Now get some sleep asshole, we're leaving tomorrow." The old Naruko was back and Sasuke had to admit that he liked it when she acted all girly one second then back to her tomboyish ways the next. He watched as she walked out and remembered the two kisses they shared, the heated one on the bridge and this soft one they just shared, and wow Naruko could change from fiery tigress one second to soft flower the next.

"....what a woman."

Team Seven stood there in front of Tazuna and his family, the bridge was now completed due to Gato being killed and the bridge builder had decided to see the team off.

"You guys are welcome back here at any time."

"I'll be sure to visit! I'm gonna miss you guys!"

"Naruko-oneechan better visit!" Naruko merely smiled and gave Inari a thumbs up.

"You know it!"

As the team left Tsunami stood there with her father and her son and wondered something.

"Father, what are we gonna name the bridge?"

"I was thinking...the Great Naruko Bridge. After the girl who brought hope to our once shattered land."

"I think that's a wonderful name."

* * *

Team Seven had just gotten done with a mission and Kakashi could see a hawk carrying a message to the Hokage Tower.

_'So it's that time of year again, wonder if these three are ready?' _He looked over and saw Naruko was giving Sakura another noogie meaning the pink-haired girl said something to Naruko that while it didn't warrant bodily harm it still deserved some punishment.

"My god your teamwork is atrocious. You know what? Let's call it a day, I got my reports to turn in. I'll see you guys later."

Sakura came up to Sasuke and batted her eyes at him. Naruko was about to laugh, she always loved seeing Sasuke shoot the pink-haired girl down.

"Sasuke-kun, I was wondering if...you know...we could work on our teamwork together?"

"Why do you waste your time flirting when you should be practicing? Right now you're the weak link of our team, even Naruko is better than you." Sasuke walked away not saying another word. Naruko had to admit Sasuke could drop someone hard. She was glad she wasn't a fangirl of his otherwise she would have to face the same as Sakura.

"Hey bubblegum if you want you and I can train together." Kakashi at this moment decided to go deliver his reports and find out if the chunin exams really were being held in Konoha this year. Naruko couldn't help but feel she was being watched and could see a completely square rock with two eye holes cut out into it.

"Konohamaru-kun....you realize rocks aren't completely square and don't have eye holes right?"

"Aww damnit we're never gonna get this right!" The Hokage's grandson had taken after Naruko in more ways then one, her cursing being one of the ways.

"Oh its you guys...whats with the goggles?"

"Isn't it obvious oneechan? You're our idol so we're copying the style you used to wear!"

"Oh okay."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN OKAY?! SO WHAT YOU'RE TOO IMPORTANT FOR US NOW?! YOU PROMISED TO PLAY NINJA WITH US ONEECHAN!"

"What kind of ninja plays ninja?" Sakura asked then she remembered what Sasuke said....Naruko was better than her so she guessed she could play ninja since she apparently was the second strongest in the group.

"Oneechan I know this is probably a stupid thing to ask but are you and her?" Konohamaru stuck his pinky out which made Naruko sigh before grabbing Konohamaru's collar.

"Konohamaru-kun.....WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU THINK I'M A LESBIAN?!" Naruko was shaking Konohamaru by the collar. Moegi and Udon both sighed, Konohamaru tended to speak before thinking.

"I...was...thinking...the...same...thing! I know you like powerful guys like the Yondaime." She then let him go. "Besides why would you be a lesbian with a skinny broad foreheaded girl like that." The air went deathly still and the temperature seemed to drop several degrees as Sakura glared at Konohamaru. Naruko patted Konohamaru's shoulder twice before speaking.

"Konohamaru-kun....I'm not gonna save you...because you won't learn anything if I do."

Sakura growled which caused the three academy students to take off running with the angry pink haired girl close behind.

"Man she can run....why do I get the feeling...."

"ONEECHAN! HELP!"

"Something bad is gonna happen...." Naruko took off towards where she had heard the scream and saw a kid in a black one piece cat suit holding Konohamaru by his collar.

"Hey asshole I suggest you put my little brother down!" Naruko cracked her knuckles to emphasize her point.

"Whose this ugly bitch?" All three academy students and Sakura went quiet, knowing Naruko was gonna kill this foreign nin for breaking two of the many unspoken rules of the village.

1. Never call Naruko a bitch.

2. Never call Naruko ugly.

"Umm mister makeup guy I really hope you've enjoyed your life because since you called Naruko-Oneechan that she's going to kill you. The last girl who called her the B-word was sent to the hospital for possible spine damage and four fractured ribs and she was her classmate."

Kankuro gulped but remembered who his father was, he technically had diplomatic immunity.

"Ha, nice try kid but she can't do anything to me! I'm the son of the Kazekage!" Before anyone could blink Naruko had snatched Konohamaru from the foreign nin's grasp and slammed the foreigner against a wall by his throat, her hand squeezing tightly to cut off his air supply.

"I'm going to tell you exactly what I told my adoptive little brother over there when I first met him. I don't give a flying fuck who you are! I don't care if you are the Kazekage's grandmother! You call me a bitch..." Naruko slammed her free fist into the brick wall next to Kankuro's head letting him know she wasn't playing around.

_'Holy shit! She's like ridiculously strong!'_ Both sand nins eyes were wide at seeing Naruko's tsunade-strength make a hole in a brick wall.

"Now say whatever prayers you need to say because you're going bye bye."

"NARUKO!" Naruko turned to see Sasuke leap out of a tree and walk towards them.

"What Sasuke? Can't you see I'm teaching this asshole some manners?"

"I can see that but Naruko if you do that you can bring a war to Konoha just like he could bring a war to Suna by attacking the Hokage's grandson. Don't kill him Naruko....for me."

Naruko looked at Sasuke for a moment before tossing Kankuro to the ground.

"Fine...but only because **you** asked Sasuke." Sakura was confused, ever since that kiss they shared during Wave Naruko and Sasuke had been acting really weird towards each other. Both Naruko and Sasuke had told her later on it was a heat of the moment thing and not to look into it which she didn't but she couldn't help but notice the two of them seemed different now.

Kankuro was pissed, this girl had just humiliated him! He was not about to stand for that, not on his life. He reached for the bandaged bundle on his back making Temari gasp.

"Kankuro! You're not about to use the Crow?! You'll get caught!"

"He's not here to stop----"

"Kankuro put. it. away." A cold emotionless voice made the make-up wearing ninja's blood run cold. Up in the tree Sasuke was just in was his younger brother Gaara and he looked ready to spill blood.

"If you continue this foolishness....I'll kill you."

"I-I'm sorry Gaara, I didn't mean to."

Gaara turned his attention from his siblings to the blonde haired girl, clearly she was the most physically powerful genin they had met so she was his main target. She could hopefully make him feel alive.

"You, the blonde girl...what's your name?"

"Me? Uzumaki Naruko and you are?"

"Sabaku no Gaara, these are my siblings Temari and Kankuro. We'll see you during the chunin exams, I look forward to facing you Uzumaki Naruko." With that the three sand nins left to go wherever they needed to go. Sasuke looked at Naruko who seemed a bit upset still but he knew just how to help...he slapped the back of her head lightly.

"OW! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR ASSHOLE?!" If it wasn't for the fact she had nearly caused a war between two major villages Sasuke would've laughed at the cute angry expression Naruko wore. Sasuke grabbed her ear which made her curse even more.

"You nearly started a war between Suna and Konoha she-hulk. I know he insulted you but you have to calm down once in a while. Besides I hear during these chunin exams you can kill without being penalized so you can get your revenge then okay?" Naruko looked at him and for some reason she felt the urge to hug him but fought it off. Lately after the Wave mission she had been wanting to be close to the last Uchiha when before she couldn't stand him. She sighed and nodded.

"Okay I'll behave for now...asshole." Sasuke patted the top of her head with a small smirk.

"Good girl, now I'm pretty sure we have to find Kakashi to see if we can enter the exams, after all we need to see how well we've come along in our training." Naruko glared at Sasuke but inwardly she was...giddy for lack of a better word. She didn't know why but Sasuke when he would act like this towards her made her feel....girly, but in a good way. Sure he didn't make her swoon and go gaga-eyed over him like Sakura and his other fangirls do but he made her feel---special she guessed was the word.

"Yeah let's go find our forgetful good-for-nothing sensei. Konohamaru-kun I'll see you guys later, we'll play after the exams I promise!"

"WE'LL HOLD YOU TO THAT ONEECHAN!"

Meanwhile Kakashi, along with Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai were standing in front of the Hokage and Iruka who had just confirmed that the chunin exams would be held in Konoha this year.

"Hokage-sama is it really time already?" Kakashi was honestly wondering if his team was ready and ignored everyone else's questions.

"One week from today. To make it completely official, I hereby announce seven days from now on July first, we will begin conducting the chunin examinations. Now then I'd like to hear first from those who are overseeing our newest genin. Sensei's Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma, tell us, do any of you recommend your teams for this?" Everyone in the room was silent before Kakashi spoke up.

"Squad Seven, led by Kakashi, consisting of Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruko, and Haruno Sakura. I vow upon my clan's honor that all three are ready for the exam."

Iruka was stunned but it was Kurenai and Asuma also vouching for their squads that really blew him away.

"Hmm, it's surprising that all three of you unhesitatingly nominated them."

"Now wait just a moment!"

"Hmm? Yes Iruka?"

"Hokage-sama, if I may speak freely?" Sarutobi nodded towards the instructor.

"Forgive me if I'm overstepping any boundaries but most of those students just named were students in my class at the academy. I admit they are all gifted and show both commitment and talent but it's too early for them to take the exams! Only with time will they have the experience and maturity the exams require!"

"Iruka I was six years younger than Naruko when I took the exam."

"Naruko's not like you! Do you want to destroy them?"

"Naruko gripes about every detail of every mission, she wants to be like her father figure, you. Even if I told her no she'd still want to take the exam. I'm sorry if my recommendation upsets you but I stand by it." Iruka was quiet upon hearing Naruko saw him as her father-figure, he knew he was important to her but he didn't figure he was that important.

"They're not your students anymore Iruka, they are soldiers under my command."

"Kakashi is right Iruka, now Gai I am assuming you'll be entering your team this year?"

"HAI HOKAGE-SAMA! MY YOUTHFUL TEAM IS READY TO BRING PRIDE TO THE HIDDEN LEAF! AND NOW THAT MY HIP RIVAL KAKASHI HAS TAKEN A GENIN SQUAD WE CAN FINALLY SEE WHO IS THE BETTER TEACHER RIGHT KAKASHI?" Gai did a nice guy pose at Kakashi who merely scratched his chin.

"Hmm? You say something Gai?"

"ARGH! CURSE YOU AND YOUR HIP ATTITUDE KAKASHI!"

The next day Team Seven was a little upset. All day yesterday they couldn't find Kakashi and once again...he was three hours late for their team meeting.

"Morning you guys! I kinda got lost on the road of life."

"CAN YOU AT LEAST FUCKING PRETEND YOU'RE SORRY!" Kakashi dodged a small rock thrown by Naruko. Though small for her was apparently baseball sized for him.

"YEAH LIAR!" While Sakura didn't agree with throwing such a large rock at their teacher she did agree he could at least pretend to be sorry for being so late.

_'Sigh, sensei help me curb your daughter's foul mouth somehow please? I beg you.'_

"Well I got a surprise for you three...I've recommended you three for the chunin exam."

"HELL YEAH! ISN'T THIS GREAT ASSHOLE?!" Naruko grabbed Sasuke in a choke hold and Kakashi could see the Uchiha heir blushing as Naruko due to the hot weather decided not to wear her orange jacket which left her in her normal tight black t-shirt. Oh the blackmail he now had on the last Uchiha and now he at least knew the avenger was interested in not just revenge. He pulled out three applications and handed them to his team.

"Here, fill them out and turn them in to Room 301 at the academy by 4 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. You don't have to compete if you don't want to, the choice is yours."

"THANK YOU KAKASHI-SENSEI! I LOVE YOU!" The blonde haired girl leaped onto her sensei and kissed his cheek which for some reason made Sasuke glare which did not go unnoticed by the jonin.

_'Oh yeah something definitely happened between those two in Wave Country...oh I'm getting so much blackmail on you Sasuke.'_

"Naruko get off, you're embarassing me!"

The next day Naruko walked up to the academy to see Sakura and Sasuke waiting for her. The weather was again too hot so she had tied her jacket around her waist.

"Well I'm here, let's go!"

"Calm down she-hulk." Naruko pulled her eyelid down and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Eat me asshole."

"Naruko you really need to watch that mouth of yours...what's going on over there?"

Naruko looked and could see a bunch of genin crowding around a door and heard a punch being delivered.

"Is someone as talentless as you really planning on taking the chunin exam?"

"Why bother? Bunch of wet-behind the ears brats."

"You said it!"

"Please we're begging you, let us in." A bun wearing girl said. Naruko perked up at hearing her voice.

"Huh that voice sounds familiar. Wait....is that....green spandex?....oh...my....god....LEE-KUN!" Naruko took off plowing through everyone crowding around the door only to tackle/slam into the genin that was punched. Everyone's eyes widened as they looked at the destruction brought upon by Naruko's charging. Several genin were in severe pain and the exams hadn't even started. Tenten couldn't help but wonder what the hell just happened then she saw just what exactly had tackled her teammate...Naruko her little sister back in the academy, who was now nuzzling her cheek against Lee's and saying how much she missed him over and over. She looked at the boy and girl who she assumed were her sister's teammates and saw the pink haired one was confused as to what was going on and could see the boy was silently fuming at how close Naruko and Lee were.

_'So Naruko's got herself a man...interesting. I'll have to grill her about it right after I get her off of Lee before her boyfriend kills him.'_

"Naruko, I know you missed Lee-kun but let the poor man breathe!"

"...TENTEN-ONEECHAN!" Tenten was next to be tackled but she didn't mind as she had been wondering what happened to her figurative little sister since she left the academy.

"Naruko-san I see you still can't reign in your emotions at all can you?" Naruko and Tenten both looked up from their positions on the floor to see Neji Hyuuga staring at them with his arms crossed over his chest.

"And I see you still can't express your emotions at all can you Neji-kun? I still haven't forgiven you for looking under my clothes with your byakugan that one time...perverted asshole."

Neji's eyes twitched at being reminded of the accident between them. Her embarrassment of him that day had made every girl in the class but Tenten not trust him during spars.

"That is not what happened at all and you know this."

"Uh huh and here I thought you had the hots for my oneechan...guess I was wrong." Neji's eyes twitched in annoyance even more, luckily Lee had come to the rescue as well as Naruko's teammates.

The blonde girl always knew how to push his buttons.

"Naruko-chan it's great to see you again!" Naruko got up making sure to help Tenten before giving Lee a big hug again after jumping in his arms. Sasuke at this moment had enough of being out of the loop.

"Naruko, whose this guy?" Naruko couldn't help but notice Sasuke's jealous tone of voice which intrigued her. Why would he be jealous of Lee? They weren't together and as far as she knew Sasuke didn't have feelings for her.

"Oh there you are asshole. Sasuke, Sakura, this is my bestest buddy and former favorite sparring partner Rock Lee! Followed by my beautiful adoptive older sister Tenten, and this perverted Hyuuga here is Neji!" Tenten smiled at hearing Naruko compliment her and had to stifle a giggle at seeing Neji's face at being called perverted. Lee all of a sudden blushed and unceremoniously dropped Naruko on her ass before walking over to Sakura.

"Hi my name is Rock Lee. You're Sakura right? You're an angel! Would you like to go out with me? I'll protect you with my life!" Lee smiled and stuck his thumb up and Sakura could only stare as his teeth seem to glisten in the sunlight. Naruko on the other hand was furious at what he just did to her.

"LEE YOU TRAITOR! YOU MANWHORE! WHAT THE HELL AM I TO YOU THEN?! CHOPPED FUCKING LIVER?!" Sasuke helped Naruko up to her feet where she began pouting at seeing how fast her best friend dropped her for Sakura who quickly shot him down.

_'There she goes with the cute pouty face again. What was that earlier? Was I actually jealous of this Lee guy? I mean of course Naruko would have friends from her previous years in the academy and some of them would be guys...why does that bug me so much?' _Sasuke was so deep in thought he didn't even notice Lee walk right up to him.

"What do you want?"

"You and me, here and now. Want to fight?" Naruko groaned at this.

"Lee-kun you're not still on that whole "a genius can be defeated by a dead last" thing are you? That's gonna get you killed one day. Just promise me you won't harm my asshole too much okay? I kinda need him for the exam and you wouldn't want me to be at a disadvantage would you?" Naruko batted her eyes at Lee who blushed before stammering a no.

"D-Don't worry Naruko-chan, I promise I will not harm your teammate too much!" Naruko smiled before kissing Lee's cheek making him blush more.

"Good, he's also a good lackey and owes me a favor so I need him for that too." Lee smiled his nice guy pose at her. Sasuke was upset, Naruko seemed too friendly with this Lee guy and he didn't like that for some reason. It was time to put this guy in his place.

"Let's go." The two teams made their way to a large empty area just below the room they were supposed to go to for their exam and Sasuke and Lee stepped towards the center.

"I'm calling you out Uchiha Sasuke! I want to test the effectiveness of my techniques against the last surviving member of your legendary clan. Besides..." Lee looked over at Sakura and winked which made Naruko growl.

"Can't believe Lee-kun considers me second to bubblegum."

"So Naruko, you and the Uchiha huh?" Tenten whispered.

"What are you talking about? There is nothing between me and Sasuke, he's an asshole and my main lackey, that's all."

"Uh huh, yet you called him **your** asshole when you told Lee to go easy on him. Plus you saw how jealous he is of you and Lee! The guy wants you and doesn't even know it! Don't believe me? Root for Lee, just root for him."

"Okay. GO LEE-KUN!" Sasuke at that moment glared at Naruko, his sharingan briefly activating before vanishing.

"See? I told you. Did you see that look on his face? Pure jealousy! Now go ahead and compliment Sasuke, we need him going in with a clear head, not angry."

"YOU'RE STILL MY FAVORITE ASSHOLE SASUKE!"

_'...What the hell kind of compliment was that? Then again Naruko did always do things differently.'_

Sasuke smirked at hearing that, while Lee may have known Naruko longer him and her had something special.

_'What am I talking about? Me and Naruko? Together? Get real, I can't have any relationships until Itachi is dealt with.'_ Neji stepped in between the two fighters his hands held above his head.

"Alright on my mark the fight will begin." Neji stepped back giving them a clear path towards each other before dropping his hands.

"Kaishi!" Sasuke took off towards Lee who merely vanished before reappearing in front of Sasuke.

"Konoha Senpu!" Sasuke ducked under the first kick only to have to block the second one which seemingly got under his guard and sent him flying.

_'How did he get under my guard? Is this some kind of illusion? Martial Arts? Maybe the sharingan will help.'_ Sasuke's eyes changed to their two-tomoe form which got a smile out of Lee.

"Sasuke has no idea what he's getting himself into is he?" Tenten asked to which Naruko sighed.

"Nope, Lee is gonna crush him sharingan or no sharingan. I just hope Lee remembers his promise to not hurt him too much."

"Naruko! How can you talk about Sasuke like he's gonna lose?!"

"Because he is, I'm confident in Sasuke's abilities bubblegum but you have to remember Lee was **my** sparring partner which means he's able to not only keep up with me but take hits from me. Even Neji here would prefer not to be my sparring partner." The young Hyuuga male nodded.

"It's true, while I may be able to beat Naruko-san it's a stalemate. I can cut off her chakra but she only needs one good hit to put me down. Lee can take those hits, I can't." Sakura turned back towards the fight to see Sasuke flying up in the air blood flying from his mouth while Lee was crouched below him.

"Oooh in the jaw, you know that's gotta hurt." Naruko commented. Sakura was biting her nails as Lee reappeared behind Sasuke in mid-air.

"Neji-kun, Lee-kun is not about to use that technique is he? Gai-sensei would be furio---"

"HALT! THAT'S ENOUGH LEE!" Sasuke began slowly falling back down to the ground only to be caught by Sakura.

"Lee you know the rules! That move is strictly forbidden! Neji! Tenten! You should have stopped him!"

"....is that a fucking turtle?" Everyone sighed at Naruko's simple question.

"Yes Naruko, that is one of Gai-sensei's summons which means..."

"MAITO GAI IS HERE! THE EXUBERENCE OF YOUTH, YOU ARE ALL FULL OF IT! Now Lee..."

"Yes sensei..."

"IDIOT!" Gai slammed his fist into Lee's face sending him to the ground making Neji and Tenten shake their heads while saying here it comes and Naruko shake her head. She was aware of how....eccentric Gai was and she was about to see first-hand just how eccentric.

"You...you..."

"Gai-Sensei!" Both student and sensei had tears in their eyes.

"Gai-sensei....I....I...."

"HUSH LEE! NOT ANOTHER WORD!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

Both ninja hugged each other making Neji and Tenten slap their faces with their palms and all of Team Seven gape.

_'…What the hell did Gai do to my Lee-kun?'_

_'Ewwww...'_

_'I...Uchiha Sasuke....lost to this?! I'm jealous of this?! A touchy feely crybaby?!'_

"Lee I understand it is because you're young!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Oh brother." Tenten said knowing what was coming next.

"It's alright Lee, mistakes and youth go hand in hand, but I can't let your attempt to break the big rule go unpunished. Your penalty will be to sweat after the chunin exams..."

"Here it comes..." Neji was waiting to see what crazy punishment Gai would make Lee go through...and probably try and have them go through it as well.

"Two-hundred laps around Konoha! Followed by five-hundred pushups!"

"Aye Aye Gai-sensei!"

"By the way, how is Kakashi Naruko? And am I still above him on your growth chart?"

"Still as lazy as ever Gai-sensei and yes you are as Lee-kun demonstrated the sharingan can be beat though he wasn't using your technique to fight it." At hearing this Gai let loose a thunderous laugh.

"HA HA! I STILL ONE UP MY HIP RIVAL THOUGH HIS LAZINESS PREVENTS YOU THREE FROM EXPERIENCING THE FULL SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH!"

Both Sakura and Sasuke looked over at Naruko who was shaking the weird bushy-brow jonin's hand like they were old friends.

"I still wished you'd have graduated with my other youthful students, I could have taught you a lot to harness that great strength of yours but it's all the same you ended up with Kakashi, he shall help you attain your full youthfulness!"

"Thanks Gai-sensei, I honestly love to stay and chat but if we all don't leave we'll be late for the exam start."

"MY GOD YOU ARE CORRECT! WE MUST MAKE HASTE! ALL OF YOU JUMP ON MY BACK! I SHALL GET US THERE IN TEN SECONDS OR I'LL CLIMB THE HOKAGE MONUMENT WITH MY TEETH!"

"HELL YEAH! What are you two waiting for?! You guys have to try a piggy back ride from Gai-sensei! It's like a roller coaster ride!" Sakura and Sasuke gulped before getting on along with Lee, Neji, and Tenten who acted like this was an everyday occurrence...which for them it was.

"Ready?" Gai asked his charges.

"STEADY!" Naruko yelled pointing at their destination.

"GO!" Both her, Lee, and Gai yelled as Gai took off like a rocket making classroom doors fly open, paper flyers fly off the walls, and some lockers open from the sheer force of Gai's speed.

Kakashi was surprised his students were nearly late. They had only five minutes left and he hoped they hadn't picked up his habit of being late. That wouldn't look good during a chunin exam, especially their first one. He heard a small sound coming from the end of the hallway and listened as it slowly picked up volume. It almost sounded like someone yelling yahoo at the top of their lungs. Then he recognized who was yelling.

Naruko and he had an idea what the green blur his team was on was.

His suspicions were confirmed as the green blot came to a stop in front of him leaving dust, flyers, and various other things flying around them. Kakashi almost laughed at seeing Sakura's hair all messed up from the speed Gai was moving at.

"NARUKO, LEE TIME ME!"

"9.8 SECONDS SENSEI!"

"HAHAHA VICTORY!!! THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH IS WITH US THIS DAY!" Kakashi watched as Gai's other two students shook their heads at their teachers childishness. He could see Naruko was happy while Sasuke looked nauseous and Sakura looked like she had no idea what had just happened.

"Well I'm glad to see you all made it on time and all together. That's good because had one of you not shown up I wouldn't have been able to let you in. I'm proud of you all, now give them hell, and Gai...thanks for getting them here on time."

"IT IS ALRIGHT MY ETERNAL RIVAL! I HAD TO MAKE SURE MY OTHER STUDENTS MADE IT AS WELL! NOW LET US LET OUR YOUTHFUL STUDENTS PROCEED WHILE WE TAKE CARE OF OUR PLANS FOR THE REST OF THE EXAM!"

As Team Seven and Nine walked in both of them all were surprised at how many people were there waiting.

"Wow."

"You said it Naruko-chan."

"SASUKE-KUN! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN CUTIE?"

"GRR INO-PIG! GET YOUR HOOVES OFF OF SASUKE!" Naruko knew if she left this up to Sakura Ino would win this little duel. Time to bring in the big guns.

"Sakura, let me handle this."

"Naruko?" Sakura watched as Naruko walked over to Ino said something to her and almost laughed as she jumped off Sasuke like he was made of lava. Naruko walked back over to Sakura and even Tenten wondered what she said.

"What did you say to her?"

"I reminded her of the academy incident and if she didn't get off Sasuke it was going to happen again."

"Academy incident? Oh I gotta hear this one, spill it imouto."

"She called me a bitch so I suplexed her."

"Ouch, well she should have known better."

"Yup anyways I---"

"Yahoo! Hey we're all here!"

Naruko looked over and saw Team Eight, which consisted of Hyuuga Hinata, Aburame Shino, and Inuzuka Kiba. Hinata Naruko had no problem with, or Shino for that matter, he left her alone. Kiba was her biggest issue.

"I thought I smelled wet dog."

"Bite me Naruko."

"I would but you'd probably like it too much!"

"Troublesome, here they go again."

"Airhead Blonde!"

"Flea-bitten mutt!"

"Kiba-kun! Naruko-chan! Please stop fighting!"

"Yes do what the little lady says and please shut up." Everyone turned to see a gray haired kid with glasses on.

"You kids are barely out of the academy, this isn't a school field trip you know."

"Who the heck are you?"

"Names Kabuto, so what? Everyone here is on edge, I figured I needed to get you guys quiet before someone snaps and kills you. But you probably don't care what I say, your all hotshot genin who think you know everything. I remember being like that."

"Is this your second time?" Sakura was curious.

"Not second, seventh. Twice a year going for four years."

"Wow...you suck." Naruko was blunt as ever.

"Cute, now as I said you all need to calm down a bit. Everyone here is looking to hurt yo----"

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU ALL STARING AT?! LISTEN UP! MY NAME IS UZUMAKI NARUKO! HEAD BITCH IN CHARGE! YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT I'LL KICK YOUR ASS! GOT IT?!"

Outside of the room Kakashi and Gai were listening in and smiling at hearing Naruko's scream/challenge.

"She certainly is full of youthfulness isn't she Kakashi?"

"That she is Gai, though I wish I could do something about that potty mouth of hers."

In the classroom several large explosions of smoke appeared at the front revealing a large scarred man along with over a dozen chunin all grinning at the junior ninja assembled.

"My name is Morino Ibiki and for the first part of this exam I am your god understand?!"


	5. Trials, Tribulations, and an Earthquake

**Okay! Finally have been able to get some typing in, been trying really hard to get inspiration in between working on cosplays for cons and working graveyard shifts and I hope you all like this latest chapter! As I said before, it will follow the manga (for the most part) up until the Sasuke retrieval and Shippuden at that point things are gonna get very different yet I will try and keep to the main storyline. Anyways here's chapter 5 of Bad Romance.**

"My name is Morino Ibiki and for the first part of this exam I am your god understand?"

A few of the genin gulped loudly at the fearsome aura the scarred man was projecting.

"Alright time to get started, turn in your applications and take one of these seating assignment cards and report directly to the seat indicated. When everyone's seated we'll pass out the written part of the test."

Naruko made a small sound and everyone looked at her. She took a deep breath and it seemed like she was calming herself...until she screamed out loud.

"A PAPER TEST? WHAT THE FUCK?"

Naruko after sitting down at her assigned seat groaned and slammed her head down onto the table cursing her luck.

"Of course it had to be a fucking paper test, couldn't be an arm-wrestling match nooo! It **had** to be a damn paper test!" Sakura couldn't help but feel bad for her blond teammate she knew how much the mini-Tsunade hated tests that involved paper.

_'Poor Naruko, this must be her worst nightmare...she looks crushed.'_

Sasuke also was watching his teammate and was worried about her.

_'Hang in there she-hulk, we'll get through this.'_

"Naruko..." Naruko lifted her head and looked at where the voice was coming from...or she would have if her test paper wasn't stuck to her forehead. She angrily grabbed the paper and slammed it down, calming down when she saw Hinata smiling at her, though strangely Hinata was blushing.

"Oh hey Hinata-chan."

_'Why is she blushing so much? Is she sick? I hope I don't catch whatever she's got.'_

"L-let's do our best Naruko!" Naruko smiled her normal foxy grin and winked at Hinata which made the pale eye girl blush even more.

"You bet Hinata-chan."

"Alright papers face down until I give the signal. Now listen up!" Everyone's attention was on the proctor who was tapping a piece of chalk against the blackboard.

"There are a few big rules that apply to this first test, I'll write them on the blackboard and explain them all. I'm not taking any questions, got a problem with that? Too damn bad, I'm only saying this once so shut up and listen."

_'Rules? And why no questions?'_ Sakura's mind went to work trying to figure things out.

"Rule number one! Each of you little shits will start out with ten points, the test has ten questions each worth one point. Have I lost anyone yet? No? Good, for each question you get wrong, we subtract a point from you. Get all ten right, and you keep your ten points. But for example you answer three question incorrect we subtract one point for every wrong answer bringing your total down to seven. Sound simple? Good because it's about to get a bit tricky."

_'Great so if I get all ten question wrong, I end up with no damn points!'_ Naruko slammed her head onto the desk again.

"Rule number 2, this written test is still a team event. Passing or failing will be determined the sum of the points held by all three members of each cell. The object is for each to have as few deductions as possible from its joint thirty point total." At hearing this Sakura slammed her head down onto the desk as well as Naruko.

"Wait a second! The whole concept of the starting points and the deductions is hard enough to follow, but what is this whole team total you're talking about?"

"Apparently someone was not paying attention when I said no questions, we have our reasons for this, now shut up and listen and you just might learn something. Lastly is rule number 3. If, during the course of the exam, a candidate does anything suspicious...in other words anything that leads a proctor to determine that he or she has cheated, we subtract two points from each member of the cheater's team."

Sakura's surprised face was just what Ibiki was looking for.

"So you see, some of you will probably run through your entire allowance of points during the test. If that happens then you'll fail and be asked to leave."

A random chunin proctor spoke up hoping to scare the test takers even more.

"We'll be looking over your shoulder when you least expect it..."

"Well said Kotetsu, if you let the proctors catch you cheating, you bring not only yourself but your teammates down! If you really wanna be chunin, if you really want to be the best shinobi you can be...then start acting like it."

Sakura was worried, not about her or Sasuke but about Naruko.

_'Calm down Sakura, it's too bad about Naruko but Sasuke and I should be able to keep enough points for all three of us to pass, even if Naruko doesn't get a single answer right.'_

"Oh and one more thing, anyone who loses their ten points, that person's team regardless of how the other two members do will be disqualified!"

Both Sakura and Sasuke went wide-eyed and Naruko again slammed her head on the desk, before lifting it up to look at Hinata, the test paper stuck to her forehead once again.

"Hinata-chan...have you ever got the feeling like someone wants to kill you?" Naruko couldn't see if Hinata had shook her head yes or no but she continued her speech anyway.

"Huh must be me I guess."

"You have one hour...starting....NOW!"

Sakura while looking calm on the surface was slowly starting to hyperventilate.

_'Please say it isn't so, this is no win situation! Please Naruko for the sake of your team, for the sake of all that is holy....HANG ON TO AT LEAST ONE OF YOUR DAMN POINTS!'_

Sasuke looked at his test questions and smirked after reading them.

_'Well I can say without a doubt that I can't answer a single question, and what's the deal with number ten?'_

Naruko was beginning to freak out, she was trying her hardest not to but so much was riding on this test and she wasn't anywhere near Sakura or Sasuke.

Sasuke was watching his blonde teammate and knew she was panicking.

_'It's almost as if...they want us to cheat. THAT'S IT! They're testing our information gathering skills! Hurry up and figure it out Naruko!'_

Naruko looked at the clock and saw she was almost out of time, she was about to think of a way to cheat until a kunai flew by her head and landed on the paper of the guy behind her.

"What was that for?"

"Five strikes and you're out! Take your teammates and get out, now."

_'Okay, too fucking close! No way can I risk cheating...ohmanohmanohmanohman...'_ Naruko didn't even realize her leg was bobbing up and down in a nervous pattern. Suddenly the room began to shake, followed by the whole building. One of the light fixtures came down and Ibiki yelled out.

"Earthquake! Everyone get down!" Everyone went down and only Naruko was still up and this did not go unnoticed by the blonde girl who with a grin switched her paper with a guy two down from her, his almost complete paper now in her possession. Everyone got back up and Naruko quickly made herself look like she still freaking out. The guy whose paper she switched with quickly looked around disqualifying himself and his teammates.

'_Yes yes fuck yes! Score one for Naruko the head bitch in charge! Whose the most awesome kunoichi in the world? You better bet your ass it's me! Now I just gotta wait for the last question! Who knew my freakish strength would come in handy for once?' _

"Number 102 you fail, on your feet." A proctor called out.

"Number 23, you too. You're out!" Proctors began calling out team after team until finally it was time for the final question.

"Okay then, seems you all were still about to manage doing the test besides that little earthquake aftershock we had. Now I have one more rule for this question, this rule is absolute."

Meanwhile in the Jinsei Iroiro, a lounge for Konoha's jonin ninja four jonin sat there relaxing.

"Well with our students in the exams it seems we finally have some time to ourselves." Asuma blew out a plume of smoke and smiled at Kakashi.

"Yeah but we'll be busy again before you know it."

"Why's that?" Kakashi was curious.

"Word is, this year's first chief proctor is Morino Ibiki."

"The sadist? Why him?" Kakashi was now worried for his team.

"Sadist?" Kurenai was curious as to why the man was called that.

"Kurenai you're still a newbie to the jonin elite so you probably don't know him."

"A most unyouthful man if there ever was one, but I guess his job would make him so." Gai looked up at the ceiling, also worrying about his team.

"His job? What do you mean? What's he like?"

"The man's a pro, the best there is."

"At what Asuma?"

"Torture and Interrogation. He's Morino Ibiki, ANBU black ops torture and interrogation corps unit leader, and while they may not be tortured physically you can have no doubt that he's subjecting them to psychological pressures the likes the you wouldn't believe. The man loves playing mind games with people and is a master of psychology."

_'An absolute rule? What bullshit is that?'_

"First you must choose whether or not to accept or reject the tenth question!"

"Well what if someone chooses to reject the question?" Temari screamed, she had just copied all the answers down and was ready to get this stupid test over with.

"If you choose not to take the question and don't even try to answer it...then you lose all your points immediately and both you and your teammates fail."

"Why would anyone choose not to take it then?"

"Simple, because of the other rule...if you try to answer the question and get it wrong then you will never be permitted to apply for the chunin exams ever again."

Kiba jumped up and started shouting along with Akumaru who was barking violently.

"You can't be serious? There are ninja here who've done this exam more than once!"

"Too bad...so sad. I wasn't making the rules in the past, but guess what kid? I am now. So your choice, take a failing grade now, and try again later." Ibiki waited a moment before continuing.

"Those who choose not to take the last question raise your hands and be counted for. Once your number is confirmed they will leave the room." Everyone watched as team after team rejected the question and were escorted out. Sakura was watching and wondering why Naruko wasn't raising her hand.

_'Naruko you idiot, all Sasuke and I will lose is time! You don't want to lose your chance to go up in rank forever! Reject the question!'_ She noticed Naruko began raising her hand which made both her and Sasuke's eyes go wide. Their fears were dashed when Naruko slammed her palm onto the table...breaking it in half.

"I SAID IT BEFORE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN! BRING IT ON! I'M UZUMAKI NARUKO AND I ACCEPT YOUR DAMN QUESTION! NOW CAN YOU HURRY IT UP? SOME OF US GOT PROMOTIONS TO WORK FOR!"

"Hmmph, I'll ask one more time, this is a decision that could affect the rest of your life. Quit now, while you still have the chance."

"And I'll say it one more time _handsome_, bring. it. on." Ibiki was impressed, the girl's outburst had dispelled everyone's fear, meaning there was no point in dragging this out.

"Those of you who is still here...you've just passed the exam!"

"....WHAT THE HELL? THEN WHAT WAS ALL THAT BULLSHIT EARLIER? WAS ALL WE DID JUST FOR FUCKING NOTHING?" Naruko was standing over the broken remains of the table, breathing in and out deeply. Ibiki had to let out a laugh at the girl's temper, a miniature Tsunade indeed.

"If you'll calm down Miss Mini Tsunade, I'll explain. There will come a time in your career as ninja when you are forced to make a decision, do you take the easy way out and let your comrades suffer? Or do you take the mission, despite not knowing what the enemy has prepared? The willingness to do the job despite the uncertainty is what we look for in chunin cell leaders. The other questions were to test your ability to spy, those that were caught were obviously not up to par and we can't have that."

Ibiki took off his headband and showed his scarred head, slash marks, puncture wounds, and burn marks covered his head.

"This is what happens to those ninja who can't be successful spies, if your skills aren't up to snuff you can be captured and tortured. I'm just glad you all passed and have shown me you got potential." He put back on his headband just as a big black ball crashed through the classroom window.

_'Already? Oh spare me.'_

The ball unraveled to reveal what could best be described as a scantily clad woman wearing a tan trenchcoat and miniskirt with a mesh bodysuit and ANBU leg armor.

"None of you little shits are in any position to celebrate! I'm Mitarashi Anko the second chief proctor! Time's a-wasting people let's go!" Everyone in the room just stared at her with a look of disbelief and curiosity. Naruko was sizing her up.

_'I...kinda like her attitude. Plus the mesh bodysuit looks nice too, wonder where I can get one? Might be able to make Sasuke nosebleed hard off of that! HAHAHA that would be great!'_

"Anko...can you not sense the mood in here?" Anko looked slightly embarrassed and Sakura had an annoyed look on her face.

"This new proctor reminds me of Naruko..."

"Ibiki, you passed twenty-six teams? You went too easy on them!" Ibiki smiled at his second-in-command.

"This year the batch is of exceptional caliber."

"Yeah and pigs and fucking monkeys can fly, I'll cut down this number by half when I'm done! As soon as we move to the next location I'll explain things in detail. Ooh! I'm getting charged up just thinking about it!"

Naruko smiled, yeah she definitely liked this woman. Ibiki stayed behind and picked up the sheets noticing the one Naruko had had entirely different handwriting and the name was sloppily erased and replaced with hers.

"So you're the cause of our little localized earthquake huh? Uzumaki Naruko, very intriguing young woman."

All of the genin teams now stood in front of a large foreboding forest while Anko looked on at them, enjoying their frightened looks.

"Welcome boys and girls to the area for part two of the exam. Training ground 44, also known as...The Forest of Death!"

"Seems pretty creepy." Sakura said but Naruko just placed her hands behind her head.

"I don't know, seems like a fun place to me." Anko had to smile at that, she liked this girl's attitude but she had to make sure it didn't spread to the other applicants.

Time to bust an ego.

With lightning fast speed she pulled out a kunai and threw it at Naruko cutting her cheek and appeared behind her.

"Yeah it is a fun place, but with your attitude you'll be one of the first to go, spilling all that rich, red, lovely, luscious blood..." Anko slowly licked Naruko's cheek and the blonde couldn't help that her whiskers were sensitive.

"Um, was that supposed to turn me on? Cause it kind of did..." Anko would've face vaulted if not for her holding onto Naruko, all around her males were holding their noses trying to prevent nosebleeds, even Sasuke checked his nose to make sure it wasn't bleeding. Anko's plan to scare the genin ended up in disaster thanks to the blond in her arms, she noticed the cut on the girls cheek had already healed up.

_'So this is the kyuubi girl? Huh, if it wasn't for the exams I'd probably enjoy hanging out with her, but what can you do?'_

"Well seems like we got a fun group this year, now before we begin I have these consent forms for you to fill out!"

Everyone stared at Anko with a questioning look which she returned with a happy smile.

"Just in case you die of course! We want to make sure all the bases are covered so we can't be liable, you wouldn't want little old me to get in trouble would you? Here blondie, since you and I apparently get along so well you can pass these out."

"Only if I can get a mesh suit like yours." Anko grinned, she had no idea why people gave this girl so much shit when she obviously had great fashion sense.

"Sure girlie, after the exams are all over come and see me and we'll see what I can do." Naruko began passing out the forms while Anko explained the rules of her 'fight to the death version of capture the scrolls.'

"Alright you'll have 120 hours in which to complete this exam, exactly five days, no more, no less!"

Choji at hearing this was livid.

"FIVE DAYS? What are we supposed to do for food?"

"That's your problem, the forest is full of nature's bounty...along with an assortment of man-eating animals, deadly insects, and poisonous plants. As time shortens things will get a lot tougher for each of you as you'll have less recovery time. At all times you'll be surrounded by enemies and not only can your die but there's exhaustion, exposure, starvation, dehydration, and a number of other lovely things you can succumb to! Okay now for the rules, and how you can be disqualified! Obviously, teams that fail to reach the tower in time as a three member cell carrying both a heaven and earth scroll are out. Any team that loses a member due to death or severe injury is also out. Under no circumstances, can you leave the forest before time is up, meaning no recess or time outs kiddies. And last but not least, you're forbidden to look at the contents of the scrolls until you're inside the tower! Understand? Good, now everyone can choose a gate to start from, everyone is gonna start at the same time."

"Do you have any advice to give us?" Sakura asked, hoping to get some cryptic clue.

"Hmm...oh yeah! Don't die!" Sakura frowned at the obvious advice.

"Good luck imouto!" Tenten yelled at Naruko.

"You too oneechan!" Naruko rushed over to her teammates and was pumping herself up for this, she was gonna go all out.

Meanwhile Shikamaru's team was getting ready, Choji was grumbling about no food for 5 days while Ino looked at Shikamaru for a battle plan.

"Okay lazy-butt what's the plan?"

"Troublesome, simple we target another team and stay away from Naruko."

"Why? You like her or something?" Shikamaru sighed and mumbled about blondes always causing trouble in his life.

"No, you wanna go toe to toe in close combat with Naruko again?" Ino's face went ghostly pale.

"Didn't think so, we'll try and go after another team."

Gaara and his siblings were waiting at gate 6 for the exam to start. Kankuro was upset he'd be stuck with Gaara for that long in the forest while his sister was worried for all three of them. Gaara on the other hand, had his mind on a certain blond.

_'Uzumaki Naruko, if I can you will be my first challenge, I cannot wait to crush you with my sand. Though I wonder...why do I feel as if I know her? I have never once met her until that time before the exams yet I feel as though I have always known her...hmm.'_

Anko's voice came up over the intercom alerting all teams.

"Part two of the chunin exams begins...now!" All 44 gates opened at once and each team rushed in.

"Woohoo, bubblegum, asshole! Let's go kick some ass!" And so team seven rushed in, unaware that someone had a hidden agenda for their little team.


	6. Forest Perverts and Giant Snakes WTF!

"Woohoo, bubblegum, asshole! Let's go kick some ass!" And so team seven rushed in, unaware that someone had a hidden agenda for their little team.

* * *

As team seven made their way further into the forest they heard a scream in the distance. Sakura could feel a chill going up her spine.

"Did you guys...hear someone scream? This place is creeping me out."

"Chill out bubblegum, this place is no big deal....shit I gotta pee, be back in a bit." Sakura and Sasuke waited and a few seconds later Naruko came back out from behind some trees.

"Oh man, what a relief! I feel better now!"

"Naruko, you're a girl, can't you act like one?"

"Why? Sasuke-kun doesn't mind at–" Sasuke in the blink of an eye slugged Naruko sending her flying.

"S-Sasuke? What the hell? Why did you hit Naruko?"

"Yeah, what was that for Sasuke-kun?"

"You have three seconds to tell me what you did with Naruko...now!"

"Hello! I'm right in front of you, bleeding I might add!"

"One: you're wearing your shuriken holster on your left thigh, Naruko is right handed. Two: Naruko never, ever calls me Sasuke-kun. You're worse at disguises than the real Naruko, now where is she?"

The now revealed fake Naruko exploded in a puff of smoke to reveal an Ame genin wearing a rebreather mask.

"Huh, guess since you've forced me to come clean, why don't you do the same? Which one of you have the scroll? Won't talk eh? Guess I'll have to be more direct!" The Ame-nin charged the duo and Sasuke immediately ran through handseals before launching off a katon jutsu, the phoenix flower. The Ame-nin dodged them small fireballs and both him and Sasuke went head to head with kunai leaping into the tree branches.

"SASUKE! HELP ME OUT YOU ASSHOLE!"

'That idiot...' He thought before tossing a kunai towards her allowing her to begin cutting herself loose. This opening of Sasuke's defenses did not go unnoticed by the Ame-nin who launched his own kunai at Sasuke who had been able to dodge thanks to a tree branch.

'Is that smoke I smell? Shit! Paper bomb!' Sasuke had barely gotten away when the Ame-nin appeared behind him ready to cut his throat.

"Now hand over the scroll!"

"OKAY! HERE YOU GO!" The ame-nin turned around only to get a facefull of Naruko's fist which sent him flying, his body skipping along the ground like a rock on water. Naruko bent down and brushed the wood shards off Sasuke's body with a smile.

"Thanks for getting me out Sasuke...now if you'll excuse me...I got a rain ninja to kill...no one ambushes me during such a vulnerable moment..." Sasuke had to gulp at how Naruko went from such a beautiful girl with a warm smile to a stone faced killer, at that moment he was glad he was not the ame-nin.

Naruko walked up to the unconscious ame-nin and gripped his collar, her mouth now a sickly sweet smile promising untold pain, this asshole had ambushed her while she was trying to pee, he had seen parts of her she was only planning to show her future husband if she got one and not only that but she still hadn't been able to go to the bathroom yet.

"Say good bye pervert!" Naruko began swinging the unconscious ninja in a circle over and over building up momentum until she finally let him go watching as he went flying through the canopy of the forest, Naruko could only smile and brush her hands clean of dirt as she watched him arc into the air and come down, probably somewhere still in the forest. Sasuke and Sakura both walked up to Naruko who smiled at seeing them.

"What happened to the ame-nin she-hulk?"

"Pervert went on a one way ticket to who the fuck cares via air-Naruko! Nobody sees that part of my body without my permission..."

"I understand what you mean Naruko, I'd probably be the same way." Naruko gave a small smile towards Sakura, she knew Sakura was far more girly than she'd ever be but at times they did agree on certain things.

"Okay I think we should come up with a plan in case we get separated again. We can't let this happen again! The safest way is for us to have a password, that way no matter what we'll know if the person is really us or an enemy. Listen very carefully because I'm only gonna say this once! It's a poem called 'Ninja Opportunity.' We thrive in the chaos of the enemy tide, quiet shinobi don't need dens to hide, our only concern is to watch and wait, until the enemy lowers the gate."

"....Couldn't we just use the fucking konami code or something? Something a little easier to remember?"

"Naruko you're such a dunce, I already got it down!"

"Eat me bubblegum." Naruko was flipping the pink haired girl off while saying this.

"I'll take the scroll."

"Why you? Why not m–Ow! What the..?" A large gust of wind ripped through the small clearing they were in causing Sakura and Sasuke to cover their faces, unfortunately Naruko was carried off by the blast. Sasuke went to the ground and waited a few moments before getting back up.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sasuke turned and drew a kunai holding it in a defensive position.

"Don't come any closer! Whats the password?"

Sakura recited the poem flawlessly and Sasuke let his guard down slightly.

"Where's she-hulk?"

"I'm right here! You guys alright?"

"Not so fast Naruko, the password?"

"Right right, we thrive in the chaos of the enemy tide, quiet shinobi don't need dens to hide, our only concern is to watch and wait until the enemy lowers the gate."

"Good...think fast!" Sasuke threw a kunai at Naruko who easily dodged it.

"Sasuke-kun what are you doing? Naruko got the password right!"

"Yeah and this time she was good enough to deflect my attack."

Naruko smiled at the two.

"Well done." An explosion of smoke revealed a tall grass nin girl with a straw hat.

"What gave me away?"

"I knew you were nearby, that's why I chose that kind of password. As much as I hate to say it the real Naruko would've flipped me off, called me an asshole, and said she didn't care to remember my stupid password."

"I see, well this is going to be more fun than I thought!"

Meanwhile Naruko was nursing a head bump she gained from hitting a tree at high speed. The tree though was in worse shape as it looked like a meteor had hit it.

"Oww, my fucking head...wonder where bubblegum and asshole went to?" The shadow of an enormous snake appeared over Naruko making her click her tongue in annoyance.

'If it's not one thing...it's another. What the hell is it with this fucking forest?'

Both Naruko and snake locked eyes before the snake's tail erupted from the ground behind her. Naruko dodged the tail only to be swallowed whole by the snake. Naruko was not happy and the fox began to take advantage of the situation.

"IT ATE ME! A FUCKING SNAKE ATE ME! THIS IS NOT HOW THINGS ARE GONNA GO DOWN! GRRRAAAGH!" A pulsing red light could be seen coming from the snake's belly and the snake stared at it in curiosity as the pulse began to grow in frequency. Soon the snake could feel a burning sensation coming from it's belly and began thrashing around trying to regurgitate the now corrosive meal only for Naruko to dig her sharp nails into it's stomach keeping her in place. The ground shook as the mammoth snake bucked and thrashed, its stomach distending and hissing before finally erupting in an explosion of gore and red chakra. Naruko stood there on all fours, a cloak of chakra surrounding her in the shape of a fox. Naruko sniffed the air and caught a whiff of Sasuke's scent and roared, the sound of her roar and killing intent rushing through the forest in a wave.

Sasuke and Sakura stood there watching the grass nin with caution who pulled out an earth scroll, the exact scroll they needed.

"I suppose you'd like to steal our earth scroll wouldn't you? Seeing as you already have a heaven scroll." The kusa female began swallowing the scroll, gulping it down and licking her lips.

"Now we'll see, just who will be stealing scrolls from whom? We'll fight to the death!" The kusa nin pulled down her eyelid revealing a completely different eye which paralyzed both Sasuke and Sakura who saw themselves being horribly maimed then killed. Both remaining members of team seven could do nothing until they heard the roar of a terrifying monster and its killing intent washed over them all, breaking the kusa-nin's concentration of her technique.

'What on earth was that? Such powerful killing intent and yet it feels remarkably familiar.' The kusa-nin decided dealing with these two genin would have be done swiftly, lest she have to face whatever it was that was giving off all that killing intent.

Sasuke and Sakura both fell to the ground, glad that whatever the roar came from broke the illusion of death, Sakura was still shaking but wasn't as bad as she could have been and Sasuke was just shaken up.

'That wasn't death, but an incredible simulation...I just looked into her eyes and I could feel it, it was so real! What did that roar come from? It broke the simulation prematurely which I'm glad for but if it could do that then it's probably far worse than this girl.'

"Sakura..." Sasuke could see she was still too terrified to move much.

'Damn, if we don't retreat now we're dead!'

"I take it you're completely paralyzed by now." The kusa-nin flung two kunai towards the two which made Sasuke activate his sharingan and stab himself with his kunai to break the hold the fear had on him, allowing him to catch Sakura and get away.

"Speak to me Sas–" Sasuke put his hand over Sakura's mouth, he needed to think but he was too freaked out to do it properly. Sakura had never seen Sasuke so jumpy and luckily her eyes caught movement above them allowing her to see the giant snake coming towards them.

"SASUKE! SNAAAKE!" Both of them jumped away as the snake bit the area they were just in not two seconds ago. The snake followed Sasuke and lunged towards him, its gaping maw and eyes reminding him of the kusa-nin and making him freak out.

"YAAH! GET LOST!" Sasuke grabbed a handful of kunai and shuriken and pelted the snake with them, knocking it into a tree, its bloody body confirming its death. Both genin's eyes went wide as the kusa-nin emerged from the dead snake's body before speeding up the tree like the snake it just emerged from. Just before it could get to Sasuke a windmill shuriken lodged itself into the tree trunk making the grass ninja leap off into a clearing, just where Naruko wanted her.

'Hmm, what are you up to girl?' The grass ninja watched as Naruko leaped out of the branches creating a bunch of shadow clones to use as stepping stones to get higher and higher. The last at the top grabbed Naruko's hand and spun her around like she did earlier with the ame-nin building momentum several times over before launching her at the grass ninja, the red chakra still covering her as she sped towards the kusa-nin like an angry red comet.

"Say hello to Uzumaki Naruko! KONOHA NO TSUIRAKU RAKURAI!" Naruto hit the ground and where Sakura and Sasuke were expecting a small tremor like back in Wave instead it felt like an actual meteor crash, sending shockwave after shockwave throughout not only the forest but all of Konoha. The hokage was the first to notice up in his office.

"Only two people in Konoha are capable of creating an quake of that magnitude...ANBU." Two ANBU landed in front of the hokage.

"Hai hokage-sama?"

"I just got word from Anko that Orochimaru is possibly in the forest of death, I believe he has just encountered squad seven consisting of Uzumaki Naruko, Uchiha Sasuke, and Haruno Sakura. Take a team and assist them asap."

"Hai." Both ANBU vanished from sight and Sarutobi sighed hoping Naruko was alright.

'Though from the force of that tremor I think Orochimaru has more to worry about.'

Both Sasuke and Sakura were amazed at the sheer devastation of Naruko's attack. Where the grass ninja was was now an enormous crater with a red chakra covered Naruko in the middle. Sasuke could tell the attack if it connected was instant death, there was no way it couldn't be. Naruko looked at Sasuke and he could see something in her eyes, it was as if she was asking if he was alright but not in a friendship teammate type of way. More like a loving caring type of way.

'Naruko...what happened to you? What is that awful chakra surrounding you?' Meanwhile Orochimaru was under the ground watching the demon chakra covered girl.

'Such devastating power! Like a demonic version of Tsunade-hime herself! The Yondaime's legacy is alive and kicking I see, too bad for the Kyuubi or I'd make her my host. Oh well, you can't have everything you want.'

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" From beneath Naruko's feet erupted by far the largest snake she had ever seen, this thing could easily rival buildings in height. The snake moved towards Sasuke and Naruko appeared out of nowhere, holding off the titanic snake with a single hand, the red chakra surrounding her moving as if alive, her face smiling at the last Uchiha as she breathed in and out.

"I told you you wouldn't be saving me anymore...you big pussy." Naruko winked at Sasuke which made him realize that she indeed saved him, just like she had said back in Wave. Before either could do anything else Orochimaru's tongue wrapped around her and Naruko grabbed onto it, the red chakra surrounding her burning the appendage.

"Sorry no tongue...on the first DATE!" Naruko punched him away only for him to explode in a puff of smoke.

'A shadow clone? That means...'

"SASUKE! LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!" Two Orochimaru's erupted from the ground, one in front of Naruko and another behind Sasuke, the one in front of Naruko had purple flames on his fingertips and he slammed them into Naruko's stomach knocking the girl unconscious and flinging her away.

"Naruko!" Sakura threw two kunai which caught on Naruko's t-shirt, preventing her from falling. Sasuke dodged out of the way of the clone behind him and the memory of his brother came to him.

'Do you really think you can beat me as you are now Sasuke? You're pathetic, if you want to kill me, settle for hating me until you can, hate me and live like the coward you are. Clinging to life, without honor!'

'NO!' Sasuke's sharingan activated and he immediately got into a stance drawing several kunai and a windmill shuriken from his pack.

'I've been living with the hope of one day killing you Itachi, hoping to make things better for me, make things safe for those I love and my future wife and children, if I can't even stand up and do what needs to be done now, I'll never be able to stand a chance in a fight against you, never have a chance to make things safe for me..and for Naruko.' Sasuke charged towards Orochimaru launching kunai at the speeding ninja who snaked along the branches dodging the kunai and windmill thrown at him only to to see the string attached the them all at the last second.

'Hmm too bad I can't have both of them, the Kyuubi girl and Sasuke would both make amazing hosts,with Tsunade's immeasurable strength and the sharingan I would be unstoppable! Maybe I should mark both of them....hmm...'

**Authors Note**: Wanted to leave it off right there, didn't know whether to keep going or leave a teaser, I love Naruko, she's got a sailors mouth and her comebacks to insults are simply eat me, fuck you, fuck off, flip off. Okay brought the fox out a little early and next chapter you'll all get to see the identity of that mysterious voice from Wave.

_KONOHA NO TSUIRAKU _RAKURAI -- Naruko's self-appointed title of Konoha's Crashing Thunderbolt


	7. Meeting mom and Round 2

Naruko awoke to the sound of dripping water and a voice humming what sounded like a lullaby to her. The voice sounded familiar, like she had heard it once before.

"Well I see you're awake sleepy head." Naruko's eyes shot open when she heard the voice directly above her and her head was on something soft. Right above her was a beautiful red haired woman with green eyes smiling down at her, obviously holding her head in her lap.

"Boo!"

"AH! What the hell? Who the fuck are you?" The red haired woman's eyes narrowed and Naruto gulped in fear.

"Watch your mouth young lady."

_'Man she is fucking scary...'_ Naruko while inwardly intimidated by the woman was not about to be told what to do by someone not her superior or parent.

"Says who? You're not my damn mother."

"Actually Naruko...I am your mother. My name is Uzumaki Kushina and I am your mother." Naruko's eyes widened and she felt like a bomb had just shredded her universe and simultaneously put it back together.

"M...mother?" Kushina didn't know if her little girl was happy to see her or upset but she quickly found out as Naruko started shouting.

"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN MY WHOLE LIFE? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT IVE BEEN THROUGH? HOW MANY NIGHTS I WENT TO BED ALONE WITHOUT SOMEONE TELLING ME GOOD NIGHT OR THAT THEY LOVED ME? WHAT POSSIBLE EXCUSE DO YOU HAVE FOR LEAVING ME ALONE FOR SO DAMN LONG THEN JUST MAGICALLY SHOWING UP? HUH? TELL ME!"

Kushina was silent for a moment and Naruko clenched her fist, her body shaking until she heard her 'mother' speak to her.

"Naruko, baby look around, you're not in the Forest of Death right now, we're in your mind." Naruko blinked and looked around realizing that they were in what appeared to be an enormous boiler room.

"Naruko I died shortly after giving birth to you. Just before I passed I left an imprint of my chakra, a memory if you will inside of you so that while you were growing up you would have me around to comfort you and give you advice. Unfortunately the kyuubi was sealed in you which basically left me locked in his seal. It wasn't until you learned of your burden from Mizuki that the seal cracked a tiny bit, allowing me to talk to you."

A sudden realization hit Naruko and she had a look of awe on her face.

"That voice in Wave country, when I was fighting Zabuza that was–"

"That was me, protecting my little girl. Naruko baby I love you and I never meant to leave you alone. Had I been alive I'd be teaching you everything I know, making sure you stayed safe and became an even greater kunoichi than you are now. Could you ever forgive m-" Before Kushina knew what was happening she was tackled to the ground by a crying Naruko who kept nuzzling her face against her mother.

"Naruko? Whats wrong baby?"

"Momma, all I ever wanted, my entire life, more than being Hokage, more than being accepted by the village was to know I had parents who loved me, that didn't abandon me, that saw me as their little girl, not a monster. Momma I forgive you, I forgave you the moment you said you loved me."

Kushina smiled but the reunion between mother and daughter was abruptly interrupted.

"_**How sentimental, so sweet it would give me a cavity. I hate to break up this lovely moment between you two but my host is currently dangling from a tree by a kunai and her accursed Uchiha mate is being attacked by the snake."**_

"Who the fuck was that?" Kushina slapped her daughter upside the back of her head.

"Language young lady, and to answer your question, he's the cause for my death and you being outcast from the village."

"_**Ha! No matter how many times I tell you whirlpool princess, it is more the accursed Uchiha's fault that you are dead."**_

"Hey! How does Sasuke have anything to do with mom dying?"

The kyuubi laughed at his host, of course the child didn't know what he knew, she had no idea just who was pulling the strings. The kyuubi laid down in front of the cage door and smiled at his container, who looked more in awe of how big the fox was more than scared.

"Holy shit you're big." Kushina again smacked her daughter's head.

"Language young lady!"

"Sorry momma."

"_**You seem to forget child that your mate Sasuke was once part of a clan."**_

"Hey Sasuke and I are not mates okay! For one thing he's an asshole, for another even if say I was attracted to him there is no way he'd return my feelings! So shut the hell up you stupid fox!" Kushina had to hold back a giggle at hearing this. She swore the only thing her daughter got from her father were looks as she acted just like she did at her age, tomboyish and calling the guy she likes an asshole.

"_**Regardless of whether you and him are mated or not, he was once part of a powerful clan. A clan that once had a member powerful enough to control even the likes of me. A man whose chakra was more malevolent and vile than my own."**_

"Uchiha Madara" Kushina stated matter of factly. She knew the story of the Valley of the End, of how Madara and the kyuubi were both defeated by Hashirama Senju, the shodaime. The kyuubi nodded, its blood red eyes studying the two females.

"_**Exactly, now child I suggest you wake up if you wish to save your mate."**_

"Um that's a good suggestion furball but that snake bastard did something to my seal...and for the last time we're not mates."

"Naruko baby I can help you with that. Instead of the fox I'll lend you my special chakras so you're control won't be too bad, it won't be a permanent fix though. Just a temporary boost okay?"

Naruko hugged her mother and smiled, this was the first gift she had ever gotten from her mother. True it wasn't a material gift per say but it was still something from her mother and that was all that mattered.

Sasuke clenched his shoulder in pain, it was like molten lead was coursing through his veins and it was taking every bit of strength not to fall unconscious.

"My, my, Sasuke-kun you are quite the fighter, just as every bit a warrior as your brother."

"Don't...you dare compare me to...that murderer."

"Touchy subject I see? Well Sasuke-kun, my name is Orochimaru, if you truly want the power to be able to defeat Itachi than I suggest you come seek me out later. Now I have other business to attend to—what is that?" Orochimaru and the other two members of team seven turned to see Naruko waking up, her hands gripping the tree she was attached to before she swung herself around and planted her feet against it, her chakra making her stick to the large trunk. Naruko pulled the bands from her pigtails off allowing her hair to flow free, she saw her mother's beautiful hair and wanted to emulate her and figured it was best to start now.

"Orochimaru is your name is it? Guess what bitch? It's round two now!" Sasuke looked up and saw Naruko, her hair flowing around her like a golden mane while she stared down the snake. At that moment Sasuke had never seen any woman more beautiful.

_'She's...beautiful. Maybe...just maybe...I can...'_ Sasuke had finally passed out from the strain of the cursed seal. Orochimaru was not concerned with Sasuke, he only had to wait now for him, his attention was on the blonde girl in front of him. That look of determination, the long hair, it was almost like looking at a young blonde Kushina from long ago.

_'Amazing! Even while she suffers from the gogyo fuin seal she can still move around and fight! That settles it, I must have this girl, if I were able to claim both her and Sasuke not even akatsuki could stop me.'_ The snake sannin immediately made his special handseal and his head launched itself at her only for her fist to hit the ground sending up a cloud of dust.

"Damn her, where did she go?" The sound of timber snapping drew his attention upward where Naruko was hefting a large chunk of tree branch.

"Here you go!" Orochimaru's respect for this girl's power was growing, it seemed as if she was fighting past his five element seal by sheer willpower and determination. He quickly used a substitution to prevent himself from being skewered by the tree branch and quickly used a earth jutsu to go around her.

Naruko's eyes darted in every direction, making sure to keep an eye out for the slightest bit of movement. She knew that bastard had the advantage but she was determined to stop him however she could.

_**'Naruko baby! Behind you!'**_ Naruko spun around on her heel, her other foot taking a large chunk of the tree behind her off making Orochimaru rise from the branch directly in front of her.

"Got you!" Naruko grabbed one of her kunai and thrust it forward smiling at the fact she actually got a wound on the bastard even though he most likely had poisoned her by biting her neck. The snake sannin pulled back and smiled, even while pulling out the kunai she had just stabbed him with.

"I really hope you enjoy my gift Naruko-chan, like Sasuke I hope you realize this village holds nothing for you and seek me out." As the snake sannin sank into the tree Naruko cried out in pain falling unconscious.

"Naruko!" Sakura rushed to where her teammate lay, first Sasuke, now Naruko, this exam was turning into a real nightmare.

**Author Notes:** Okay a small update this time but now getting to the end of the forest of death soon.

Also to all my reviewers! Thank you so much for your support! Now to answer some questions:

**VampyreVixen16:** I didn't take it from Hellboy but after I read your review i went back and watched it and realized he did say that. I was just going more with what sounded good and what I thought Naruko would say.

**That's Nice:** Her attack The Crashing Thunderbolt was an idea i got from seeing Naruto use his clones to catapult him around both in the show and in Ultimate Ninja Storm. Needless to say there will be more Tsunade style, earth shaking attacks coming from her. Also since her idol is the fourth hokage, whose signature technique was the flying thunder god, i figured she would make a similar name.

**Chaos Nutter:** There won't be any lemons until I get to shippuden, some fluff moments and romance moments between our two reluctant lovebirds but no actual sex until they're older.

Okay well I hope you all enjoy this small update, next chapter will be much longer.

**Next Time on Bad Romance: Battle of the Mind! Kushina vs. Orochimaru!**


	8. Mental Showdown: Kushina vs Orochimaru

**I don't own Naruto. In other news…I'm back and ready to type! Got the Bon Jovi "You Give Love a Bad Name" playing and I'm pumped! Hooyah, let's get this show on the road! Bringing to you live: **

**Bad Romance Chapter 8! Showdown of the Mind! Kushina vs. Orochimaru!**

Kushina stood in front of the Kyuubi's cage, her arms crossed in front of her chest and her green eyes burning holes into the swirling mass of dark chakra forming in her daughter's mind. She knew what this was, she remembered little Anko's dealings with the curse seal and was prepared to evict this particular tenant immediately.

"**Kushina…"**

"I know Kyuubi, don't worry I plan to deal with this nuisance myself." The fox behind her growled as the purple colored mass began to take shape.

"**Then allow me to assist you whirlpool princess."** Kushina looked over her shoulder, a small grin on her face. She knew why the fox was offering to help but couldn't help but take the chance to rile the beast up.

"Oh how sweet Kyuubi, going soft on me?" The mammoth vulpine snorted and snarled.

"**Do not read into it Kushina, it's bad enough I have to share your child with you. I will not allow another to claim what is mine."** Kushina closed her eyes and smiled, the fox while helping her and protecting Naruko's mind for selfish reasons was at least willing to help, that she was thankful for. She watched as the chakra mass slowly took the form of Orochimaru who seemed surprised at seeing Kushina standing there looking at him. Kushina used her connection to her daughters chakra to begin forming her chakra chains.

"Kukuku, I see I am not alone here, and is that Kushina-chan I see? The years have done wonders for you my dear." Kushina smirked, her chains were slowly moving towards the snake sannin as she did not move from her position.

"And I can say the same for you Orochimaru. I don't suppose I could just ask you to leave my daughter's mind now could I?" Orochimaru was surprised, Kushina was the Kyuubi brat's mother? That would explain a lot about the blonde haired girl…

"Kukuku, I'm sorry Kushina-chan but-" Orochimaru rushed Kushina, the blade of his Kusanagi blocked only by a net of Kushina's chakra chains. Before the sannin could comment or continue his attack several barbed hooked chains flew out from the darkness, spearing right through the snake only for him to explode in a puff of smoke.

"Hmph, I knew it wouldn't be that easy to take you out, now come out and face me you coward." As Kushina's eyes scanned the area in front of her Orochimaru began to slowly rise from the water behind her, his sword in a position to run her through. A earth-shattering roar reminded Orochimaru the Uzumaki matron was not the only person in the jinchuriki's mind as the Kyuubi's claw came down upon the snake who switched with a clone at the last second, reappearing in front of Kushina, his blade drawn defensively in front of him.

"**Damn, I missed him."** Kushina smiled, sure Kyuubi could do nothing but keep her backside protected but it was better than nothing.

"Well if you didn't roar he wouldn't have seen it coming." A snarl was her only response as she focused on the sannin in front of her who began throwing up snakes from his mouth, releasing a living carpet of serpents.

"Now what will you do Kushina?" Orochimaru's triumphant smile faded as Kushina created a rotating circular dome around herself with the barbed chains, she had seen Hiashi use the kaiten once and it gave her an idea on how to use her chains both offensively and defensively. Slowly the dome expanded outward destroying the snakes one by one. A small hole opened in the dome and kunai tipped chain fired outward nearly grazing the snake sannin's cheek before retreating back into the now collapsing dome. Both ninja merely started each other down, each trying to figure out a way to gain an upperhand on the other.

***Outside of Naruko's Mind***

Sakura looked at her two teammates and placed cold compresses on their foreheads, it wasn't much but it was all she could really do right now. She sniffled as she realized Sasuke was right, she didn't really have any skills to help benefit the team, sure she was smart but smart only got you so far.

"You know Naruko, you're lucky. I can see why Sasuke-kun seems to be interested in you over any other girl. You seem to have this confidence that I only wish I could have. Maybe…maybe Sasuke-kun really does like you more…" She looked at her blonde teammate and smiled knowing she couldn't answer back, if she could her response would be…interesting to say the least. Despite what the blonde said aloud, she did have feelings for the Uchiha, even Sakura could see it. She watched as the seal thing on her neck seemed to be fading in and out while Sasuke's stayed a nice solid color. She looked at Naruko and with a smile poked her shoulder.

"But just because I admit Sasuke-kun might like you more doesn't mean I'm giving up got it? We're now rivals for Sasuke-kun's heart got it Naruko?" When her teammate didn't answer she became depressed realizing she was left alone to defend herself.

Team Nine looked at each other before checking the sky. Neji sighed and stood up, cracking his neck, a habit he picked up when Naruko was in his class.

"Okay we've got plenty of food and water and most teams are resting, all three of us will scout the area and regardless of whether you find anyone or not we'll meet back here in thirty minutes, understood?" Tenten nodded and Lee did a hand salute though he seemed troubled which did not go unnoticed by Neji.

"Lee, what's wrong?" Lee shook his head trying to shake the feeling that Naruko was in some kind of trouble but found he couldn't.

"It is nothing Neji-san, I just have a bad feeling about Naruko-chan is all." Neji nodded, knowing how close the two were, Tenten upon hearing this became worried as well.

"I hope she's fine." Neji while he didn't necessarily like Naruko, didn't hate her either and knew both of his teammates cared a great deal for the blonde powerhouse and with a sigh he came to a decision.

"Alright, if you happen to find Naruko or her teammates, make sure they are okay, sound good?" Both his teammates perked up at hearing this and it made Neji smirk knowing they were focused again.

"Alright…Go!" In the blink of an eye, all three took off.

Nearby where Sakura was tending to her teammates, three figures were watching her, their mission was simple: to assassinate Uchiha Sasuke.

"Remember you two, we attack at daybreak." Dosu, the mummy wrapped ninja said, watching his target intently.

"Our target is Uchiha Sasuke right?" Kin, the female of the group questioned.

"Yeah but if the other two get in our way we're allowed to kill them right?" Zaku the other male asked with a bloodthirsty grin.

"But of course."

Sakura was tired, she stayed up all night to make sure no one would attack her team and the sleep deprivation was getting to her, she had never stayed awake an entire night before in her life so she was drained completely. The sun shone through the trees hitting her in the eye making her wince at the brightness.

"Now I see why Naruko hates you-" A sound behind Sakura made her draw her kunai out of reflex, though her hands were shaking as she held it. She turned, ready to defend her teammates from…a squirrel.

"You got to be fucking kidding me." Sakura didn't know what to be more annoyed about, the fact she was scared by a squirrel…or the fact she was cursing like her potty-mouthed teammate.

'…_Now I know I've hung around Naruko too long.'_ The squirrel began to move towards her and she launched the kunai at it, before it could set off the traps she set last night.

'_Phew, that was close.'_

Meanwhile the sound trio was watching Sakura.

"Huh, think she noticed the explosive tag on the squirrel?" Dosu shook his head.

"No, it's something else, I think it's time we pay her a visit."

Lee hopped from tree to tree, careful not to make too much noise, as he landed on a particularly thin branch he noticed several leaves fall from the branch. A fire erupted in his eyes as he gave himself a personal challenge.

"If I can catch all twenty of these leaves before they hit the ground, Sakura-san will begin to like me. But…if I miss even just one…my love will be unrequited and…she may even call me names like 'caterpillar brows!'" The fire in Lee's eyes erupted even further as he leapt off from the tree, intent on catching all twenty leaves.

One by one Lee caught the leaves….nearly snapping his spine on another branch but as he reached for the last one he noticed a squirrel struggling in pain as smoke was spewing from its back. Lee dove for the squirrel ripping the explosive tag off its back and throwing it at the closest tree.

"Who would do such a horrible thing to you little guy?"

Sakura was just about to fall asleep when a voice jolted her awake.

"Awake all night huh?"

'_Not these guys!'_

"Why don't you be a doll and wake up Sasuke-kun, we'd like to fight him." Sakura narrowed her eyes and drew a kunai.

"What are you talking about? I know someone named Orochimaru is pulling the strings! What's his purpose?" The sound trio were surprised that the girl knew their master and that he was in charge of them.

"What is this weird mark on Sasuke-kun's neck? You did this to him and now you want to fight? What is wrong with you?" Dosu was surprised to hear Sasuke had received a curse mark, why would Orochimaru send them to kill Sasuke only to give him a curse seal beforehand?

"Whatever, hey Dosu I'll kill the girl and take care of this Sasuke guy." Before Zaku could charge he was stopped by his bandaged teammate.

"Wait Zaku, hmm you know girlie, a booby trap is pointless unless it goes unnoticed." Dosu watched the girls face as he pulled away her ground booby trap.

"She scared away the squirrel to prevent it from setting off the booby trap, kill her." The three sound ninja leapt upwards to take advantage of the terrain only to see a giant log falling towards them.

"Hmph, nice try girlie but-" Dosu only stuck his palm outward and the log shattered into pieces.

"-You'll have to do better than that, you have no talent, a person like you stands no chance against guys like us. Now for us to-"

"KONOHA SENPUU!" The three sound nin were each kicked away by a green whirlwind, their bodies slamming against nearby trees. Sakura was about ready to defend herself when she noticed who was standing in front of her.

The Beautiful Green Beast of the Hidden Leaf: Rock Lee

"Well then, looks like I'm just in time. Are you alright Sakura-san?" At her nod Lee turned towards the trio, standing in his Strong Fist stance.

"Who the hell are you?" Zaku yelled, this guy's look alone pissed him off.

"A freakin' knight in green armor as my best friend would say."

Orochimaru dodged another chakra claw from the now three tailed Kushina as he was running out of options now. He made a grave tactical error in marking the Kyuubi brat. Only now as Kushina's corrosive claws sliced into his arm did he realize he underestimated Naruko's mental defenses. Every time he dodged Kushina's claws or chains he would always end up close the fox's cage and would get swiped at. He might have to use that jutsu he figured and began his transformation.

Kushina could only watch as Orochimaru began to transform into a large white snake, his serpentine body made of smaller snakes.

"Now Kushina-chan, look upon the face of your destruction!" The great snake rushed towards Kushina who began forming a tailed beast ball, while it wouldn't be anywhere near as powerful as the four tailed menacing ball it would be enough she sufficed as she swallowed the chakra ball firing it from her mouth a split second later, the red energy racing across the floor like a comet, parting the water that was now knee deep in height. Orochimaru twisted his body to avoid the attack, not knowing the attack explodes as he felt flames wash over his body when the ball collided with a wall and erupted. Kushina saw this as her chance and called upon her chains watching as they pierced the skin over and over until the great serpent could move no more.

"I…I can't move…what…did you do to me?" Kushina released the Kyuubi's chakra, watching as the water level began to lower.

"Simple, you're about to go away…permenantly."

"W-Why are you here?" Lee smiled at Sakura and scratched under the squirrel's chin.

"I will always appear when you are trouble." Sakura watched as the green-clad genin released the squirrel and got into a stance.

"T-Thank you Lee." Lee smiled.

Being the hero was awesome.

"I told you before. I'll protect you with my life."

'_Gai-sensei, I did it, I have achieved awesomeness!'_

Dosu closed his eyes and grunted.

"Zaku, you can have Sasuke-kun, I'll take care of them." The bandaged sound nin began his charge towards Lee.

'_From what I can tell, Sakura-san is no condition to fight.'_ Dosu leapt into the air, expecting the taijutsu specialist to dodge…he didn't expect the freak to rip out a giant tree root to block him.

"I'm not going to simply dodge your attacks, I have seen your attacks before, and I will crush them with my own."

"Gah this sucks! We can't find any weak guys!" Ino complained, grabbing her head in annoyance.

"Troublesome, unfortunately the only guys weaker than us would be Kiba's team, because I **am not** going after Naruko, I don't want to be confined to a hospital for the rest of my life."

"Hey look! Sasuke and Naruko are knocked out cold! And Sakura is fighting!" Ino was surprised to hear this and hoped her friend was okay.

"Hmm Lee's late." Tenten was surprised at her teammate's tardiness.

"Usually he's accurate when it comes to time." Neji sighed, he knew what that meant.

"Knowing that fool he ran into the enemy…or Naruko, let's go find him."

"Yeah" Both took off hoping to find their wayward teammate.

'_Gai-sensei, I'm going to use the technique, to protect someone precious to me!'_ Lee activated his first inner gate and as Dosu landed the green beat vanished, only to reappear right under the sound nin, driving his foot into his chin sending him skyward.

Dosu had no idea what was going on and could hear the leaf genin behind him.

"It's over." Before he could react Dosu's body was wrapped up in the bandages covering the leaf nin's arms.

"Shit! He's not gonna be able to do anything like that!" Zaku began going through handseals, hoping to save his teammate.

"Omoto Renge!" Lee had to smirk as he piledrived the sound-nin's body into the ground only to realize the earth was a lot softer than it should have been.

"Phew, looks like I saved your ass Dosu." Said sound-nin dragged his body up from the dirt, surprised at how much damage he took even on such soft earth.

"Yeah you did. Man what a terrifying technique! My body is aching from only a soft patch of earth. But now it's my turn."

'_Damn, my body still isn't….'_ Lee managed to dodge only for his body to go stiff.

"And my attacks, are at the speed of sound."

Lee couldn't help but throw up at the immense vibrations coursing through his body and felt his right ear rupture.

"And now to deal with you girlie…" Dosu leapt at Sakura only to be buffeted by Lee's attempt at another whirlwind kick.

"I see, well try this!" Dosu swung his melody arm at Lee watching with glee as the genin blocked it and he used his chakra to damage the taijutsu user's inner ear drum.

"Lee-san!" Sakura threw several shuriken at the sound-nin only for Zaku to blast them back at her with his modified arms.

'_Air pressure, he blasted back my shuriken?'_ Sakura stopped as she felt someone grab hold of her hair.

"My such pretty hair, so much luster to it. Trying to catch a guy's eyes are we? Zaku, kill Sasuke in front of this bitch, teach her a lesson."

"Heh, good idea Kin."

'_No Sasuke-kun! I can't let them hurt you! Naruko wouldn't let this happen! I'm tired of always being protected, this time…this time I'm going to protect those who are important to me…'_ Sakura drew out her last kunai making Kin smirk.

"Pft, that won't work on me." Sakura's chuckle caught her attention.

"Heh, who said it was for you?" Sakura slashed back and cut her hair, hair that she had spent years growing, washing, and brushing.

'_I always thought I was a good ninja. Always cheering on Sasuke-kun, I would lecture Naruko as if I was better than her, but all I did…was watch them leave me behind, and now Sasuke-kun has his eyes on Naruko, well no more, this time…I'm gonna be the one protecting you guys.'_

Before Sakura could do anything everyone felt a pulse coming from the comatose Uchiha.

"What the hell?" Everyone present could see Sasuke slowly standing, his body moving from his deep breathing.

"Sasuke-kun! You're awake!" Sakura was glad at least one of her teammates was up. Slowly the Uchiha walked towards his teammate, he could see she was battered, bruised, her arms were cut up and her hair was now butchered.

"Sakura…who did that to you?"

"S-Sasuke-kun?" The Uchiha kept his eyes on the three sound nin, the black flame markings of the curse seal wrapping around his body.

"Who did it?" Dosu was shocked at seeing the curse seal on Sasuke's body, this could turn ugly really quick if he didn't think fast.

"We did it!" and there went Zaku ruining it.

"Sasuke-kun…you're body."

"I'm fine Sakura, in fact I feel great. Watch out for Naruko for me, she's still unconscious. Now to deal with you three." The Uchiha avenger's focus was now solely on the three sound nin.

'_Shit, his chakra is way too large! We've been setup!_' Zaku on the other hand wasn't afraid.

"Dosu, this'll be easy. Just watch."

"No Zaku! Don't you realize-"

"Ultimate Zankuuha!" Zaku arms created a massive blast of air pressure, enough to easily kill a human, the attack kicking up enormous amounts of dust and debris. When the dust cleared Sasuke was nowhere in sight.

"Told you, I blew his ass away!" The cold voice from behind Zaku made his blood run cold.

"Blew who away?"

Before anyone knew what was going on Sasuke backhanded Zaku away before reappearing and kicking him upward. Dosu could only watch as Sasuke appeared behind Zaku, holding his arms back as he slammed his body into the ground, his foot firmly placed on his spine as the Uchiha went about breaking the sound-nins arms.

"One down…"

Sakura was shocked, this…this wasn't the Sasuke she knew. This thing was a monster, he was not the boy she knew, the boy she trained with, the boy she cared for. Sakura could see Sasuke stalking towards Dosu with a menacing gleam in his eye and took off after him her arms wrapping around his body preventing him from going any further.

"Please…Sasuke-kun…please stop." Sasuke looked at her and slowly the curse seal began to recede.

'_Looks like we're saved…for now.'_ Dosu pulled out his teams heaven scroll and laid it on the ground.

"Here, take it. We cannot defeat you at this time, but know that if we meet again we will neither run nor hide." Dosu took his chance and collected his team members, and just in time too as another team arrived on the scene.

"Lee!" Tenten leapt down and began checking her teammate over while at the same time admonishing him for doing foolish things. Neji meanwhile watched as Sakura looked over Sasuke and decided to go check on Naruko who was still unconscious.

Neji as he looked over the foul-mouthed blonde seriously hoped this was the last time he would have to take this exam.


	9. Preliminary Start Up! It's Going Down!

**Don't own Naruto, we've been through this before. And I apologize for how clumped and jumpy the last chapter seemed, when I wrote it, there were line breaks but apparently they don't crossover when you upload so I'll have to manually put them in this time. I'll go back and fix the chapter later.**

Kushina watched as the white serpent was slowly dragged into the fox's cage. While the sounds of gnashing teeth and pained screams could be heard her main concern was what to possibly do with the curse seal, with her fuinjutsu skills she could easily destroy the seal but before she could actually get around to it the fox made it thoughts known.

"**You know Kushina, you could use the seal yourself."** She turned back and narrowed her eyes at the beast.

"What are you getting at Kyuubi?" The fox smiled, its enormous teeth and eyes the only thing showing in the darkness of its cage.

"**Your special chakra, why not give some to the girl? You always claim you wish to protect her so why not use what has been given to you?"** While the idea had merit Kushina was more concerned as to why the fox was so eager to have her do it.

"And why do you care Kyuubi?" Again like the Cheshire cat the fox's eyes and teeth were the only things showing.

"**Call it…curiosity, mixed in with survival. I wish to see how this affects my host and I know it'll help her protect herself in case **_**he**_** shows up again."** Kushina knew who the fox was referring to and decided to (for once) listen to the beast. She could stand to give her special chakra to her daughter and without Orochimaru's influence the curse seal would not affect her mind.

* * *

Neji stared at the mark on Naruko's neck and saw the foul chakra that was in Sasuke's mark was gone from hers, being replaced by a different kind of chakra, it was the same kind of chakra used in barrier jutsus.

"Hmm, that's interesting. Anyway time to wake you up. Naruko, come on." Neji shook the blonde repeatedly hoping she would awaken soon.

* * *

_Naruko was standing before the village, donned in the hokage robes and the hat in her hands. The village was chanting her name and she couldn't be happier, at least until a pair of arms wrapped around her waist._

_"Glad you finally made it my love?" Naruko craned her neck back and reached around to hold her beloved._

_"Yes I am, I have everything I could ever want in life, I'm the hokage, the village respects me, and I get to share my life with the greatest man in the world." The man behind her smiled, and kissed her neck._

_"And I get to share my life with the greatest woman in the world, shall we head home beloved?" Naruko smiled and turned around giving her man a passionate kiss._

_"Yes, we shall." As the couple walked home hand in hand, Naruko could feel her lover stop her and pull her close to him, his eyes gazing into hers._

_"I love you Naruko, with all my heart." Naruko even after so many years blushed when hearing this._

_"And I love you, Sasuke."_

* * *

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Naruko shot up, her forehead slamming into Neji's hitai-ite sending the Hyuuga prodigy on his ass. Naruko steadied her breathing and tried (unsuccessfully) to regain her composure. It was hard though when a dream is that real and that…nice.

'_Did I just dream I was married to Sasuke? Did i just dream I was married to Sasuke and liked it? Was it something I ate?'_ Naruko looked around and saw Sakura tending to Sasuke, Tenten tending to Lee and Neji nursing a nice bump on his forehead.

"Hey guys...anyone mind telling me what's going on?" Neji just glared at her and sighed.

"It wouldn't really do me any good to explain as we just got here moments before you awoke. Ask your teammates, we just came to collect ours." Neji and Tenten both left carrying Lee on their shoulders leaving Team Seven alone in the clearing. Naruko got up and dusted herself off, not before shuddering when afterimages of the dream came back. As she got close to her teammates she realized two things, one Sasuke was awake, and two…Sakura looked butch…very butch.

"Hey bubblegum…umm how do I put this nicely…you look very…_mannish_…yeah, that's the word." Sakura just glared when she realized her teammate just said she looked butch.

"Planning on playing for the other team huh bubblegum? I'm sure Ino will be happy to know Sasuke only has one she-devil hunting him down now." Naruko began laughing making Sasuke smirk at hearing Ino being called a she-devil.

"SHUT UP NARUKO!" Naruko began to roll on the ground, clutching her stomach.

"Alright you two that's enough, we need to get the other scroll and get out of this damn forest." Naruko wiped a tear from her eye while still laughing.

"Okay, okay asshole I got it. So what's the plan?" Sasuke sighed, knowing they didn't have much time left.

"The second test started around 2:30pm, so by my estimates we only have about 25, maybe 26 hours left until it ends. So whoever we meet next-"

"Is gonna be on the ass end of an ass whooping!" Sasuke smirked, leave it to Naruko to get straight to the point. Though he noticed every time he looked at her she would look away or blush. He hoped she wasn't turning into a fangirl like Sakura or Ino.

"Well I may be able to help you with that." All three turned to see Kabuto, a smile on his face.

"Hey, it's the sucky guy!" Kabuto's eye just twitched, the sucky guy? Then he remembered her saying he sucked when he said how many times he had taken the exam.

"Cute, anyways I-"

"Why are you here?" Sasuke looked ready to fight and Kabuto put up his hands to show he meant no harm.

"I happened to get separated from my team and we told each other if we get separated to meet at the tower, and seeing you cute little rookies I decided to be a nice guy and help you get a scroll, since I'm assuming that's why you're still here." Team Seven looked at each other and nodded before following their senior genin away from their campsite, their goal being to move towards the tower.

The tower was within sight when they stopped on a large branch. Kabuto pushed his glasses back up his nose and smirked, the moonlight gleaming against his lenses.

"Alright, we should be fine for now. But I urge stealth and caution, we should move and carefully and slowly towards the tower as time allows."

For hours it seemed like the group walked, the tower not getting any closer as Naruko's patience was reaching its end.

"It feels like we've been walking for hours! See that rock? We've passed that same rock like eighty fucking times!" Sakura was drained and while Naruko was being very obnoxious about it…she had a point.

"It does feel like we've been going in circles…"

"That's because we have, looks like we met our first welcome party." Kabuto looked on as several black covered shinobi came out of the trees, their numbers in the dozens.

Before anyone could do anything a large chunk of rock slammed into one of the shinobi's, his body turning into ink and instantly reforming into three more.

"Damn, so much for that plan. Anyone else got anything?" Kabuto just stared wide-eyed at the blonde girls strength, he just saw her rip out a large chunk of earth with her bare hands and launch it like a cannonball.

This bared further observation.

The rain ninja were watching as the blonde threw a chunk of earth at the illusionary clones, prompting the creator to create more.

"She just threw a chunk of earth at the clones, you really wanna mess with her man?"

"She has a limit, everyone does! I'll pay her back for my earlier embarrassment."

His teammates both looked at each other, hoping their team leader wasn't about to get them killed because he got defeated by a girl, they had thought he was lying when he said she had launched him clear across the forest but seeing her throwing boulders around made his claims seem less outlandish.

Down below the blonde girl used a clone jutsu of her own and each of the illusion clones now was fighting with a clone of the blonde.

"Hah, for every clone she destroys I can make another. You think this I gonna be a long night?"

Their team leader just chuckled until he felt a kunai on his neck.

"No, I don't think it will be."

Sasuke was glad his blonde teammate could create such a ruckus with her clones, if not him, Sakura, and Kabuto wouldn't have been able to sneak up on the rain ninjas, who were promptly beaten to a pulp by Naruko, the beatings intensified when Sasuke mentioned their team leader was the same rain ninja who caught her when she was using the bathroom and he had to hold back a chuckle at the amount of cursing the blonde let loose.

The fact he saw her curse mark while she was giving the rain ninjas their beatings didn't go unnoticed by the Uchiha either. He decided he'd bring it up later when they were alone. He let out a sigh of relief as they finally came up to the tower his hand touching the door just to make sure it was real this time.

Once inside however the team was confused at the cryptic message on the wall.

"I think it's telling us to open the scrolls." Naruko looked at Sakura and with a shrug grabbed the heaven scroll while she grabbed the earth scroll.

"I swear bubblegum, if we fail because of this, it's all on you."

"Bite me Naruko."

"With your new butch haircut I think you actually want me to." Naruko chuckled as Sakura's face turned red with anger. The scrolls once opened erupted with smoke.

"Sakura! Naruko! Toss the scrolls!" Both kunoichi threw the scrolls and got ready for a fight as they saw a figure in the smoke.

"Long time no see you three." Naruko's face split into a smile as she recognized the voice.

"Iruka-sensei!" Sasuke watched as the blonde charged their former teacher hugging him around his waist like a daughter would to a father.

"Glad to see you haven't changed much Naruko, I'd buy you a round of ramen, but you're gonna have to take part three of the exam soon. Don't push yourselves too hard in this okay? Unfortunately you guys won't get much rest time since so many of you passed…"

"Don't worry Iruka-sensei! We're here to kick ass and take names!" Iruka smiled knowing the blonde meant every word of what she said.

"So you are, alright, go through this door and meet with the other teams in the central arena." Iruka led his former students in the preliminary arena and took his place amongst the other chunin and jonin.

Naruko looked around and saw most of the leaf rookies had passed and winked at Hinata, confused as to why the Hyuuga girl was blushing.

'_I hope she's not catching something, I'd hate to catch it as well._'

"Okay, now we have too many people here, and because we have many highly influential people coming for the third part of the exam we're going to have a preliminary exam, if anyone doesn't want to fight they can quit now, you're team will not be affected." Naruko was shocked that Kabuto raised his hand.

"Sucky guy, why you giving up?" Kabuto's eye twitched but he kept his calm.

"Sorry Naruko-chan but my body is beat up, that and I'm nearly out of chakra. I'll leave the ass kicking to you okay?" Kabuto smiled as he walked away. Sasuke felt a rush of pain and noticed Naruko didn't seem to be affected by hers.

"Naruko come here." The blonde girl leaned in close and she shivered as she felt Sasuke's breath on her ear.

"Why isn't your mark affecting you?" She shrugged and honestly wondered why.

'_Momma?'_ If anyone could tell her what was going on her mother could.

'_Don't worry baby, I took care of it, just tell him you haven't activated it like he has so that's probably why.'_

"I don't know Sasuke, I haven't used it yet, so that's probably the reason." Sasuke figured it was a good enough reason. He'd drop the issue, for now. The proctor coughed as he counted the remaining test takers.

"Okay we got twenty left meaning we can have ten preliminary fights. These will be one on one fights, just like a real life confrontation. There are no rules, you lose if you can't continue fighting or you die, I'll try and make sure that doesn't happen though, now I know this I sudden but let's start the first match shall we? Will everyone but the two fighters please move to the upper level please?" As everyone began to move towards the stairs Kakashi walked up to Sasuke.

"Sasuke, don't use the sharingan."

"So…you know."

"Yes I also know about Naruko's. Using the curse seal may kill you, if that happens, then I'll have to stop the fight. Be careful Sasuke." Kakashi joined his two students up on the upper level, his face turning into a smile at how worried Naruko looked for her teammate.

"Worried about your boyfriend Naruko?" Kakashi said as if asking about the weather.

"Who Sasuke? Of course I'm worried about him."

"I'm glad you didn't deny he's your boyfriend Naruko." Kakashi smiled as Naruko exploded.

"YOU TRICKED ME KAKASHI-SENSEI! THATS NOT FAIR YOU LOWDOWN, PUNK ASS, SCARECROW-LOOKING MOTHER..." Kakashi tuned his blonde student out and pulled out his icha icha smiling at the fact he wont this round.

'_Kakashi-sensei - 1, Naruko – 0'_


	10. Prelimary Chaos! Who Will Survive?

**Don't own Naruto, we've been through this before. Very sorry about my latest disappearance, I'm working on deploying possibly and that has taken up majority of my time but rest assured nothing is abandoned. In fact my wife has been threatening me to finish this story as she is trying to draw an accompanying doujin.**

**Last Time on Battlestar Galatica…**

"Worried about your boyfriend Naruko?" Kakashi said as if asking about the weather.

"He's not my boyfriend Kakashi-sensei!"

"But you are worried about him, that you didn't deny." Naruko shut her mouth and Kakashi smiled.

'_Kakashi - 1, Naruko – 0'_

**And now back to Bad Romance…**

Naruko couldn't help but curse Kakashi in her mind for tricking her like that but she was more concerned about the Uchiha down on the arena floor. She didn't even notice she was clenching the guardrail so hard that she was leaving impressions of her hands in it. When she saw Sasuke's curse mark seemingly act up, she was just about to jump in until she felt Kakashi's hand upon her shoulder.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

"Ne, Naruko, I know you're worried about Sasuke but he's a tough guy, he can make it through this. Plus after the match is over, regardless of whether he wins or not I'm going to do something about that mark of his, yours isn't acting up is it?" Naruko shook her head.

"No but unlike Sasuke I haven't activated it so it hasn't bugged me at all." Kakashi sighed a breath of relief at hearing this.

"_That's good, I guess Anko was right, as long as it isn't activated it shouldn't cause too many problems, I just hope it doesn't affect her ninja career like it did Anko's."_ Kakashi patted his blonde student's shoulder and did his signature eye smile.

"Well if it does bug you at all, you let me know immediately okay Naruko?" Naruko smiled and nodded, she wouldn't tell Kakashi about the curse mark or her mother, he'd think she was insane or something. She like Kakashi was surprised to see Sasuke withdraw the curse seal through sheer willpower and slam Yoroi into the arena floor with a sickening crunch.

"Oh look, Sasuke won, see Naruko? You didn't have to worry about your boyfriend after all." Naruko smiled.

"Yeah I guess you're right Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi smiled and waited.

"_Three…two…one"_

"GOD DAMNIT KAKASHI-SENSEI! SASUKE IS NOT MY FUCKING BOYFRIEND!" Everyone in Naruko's immediate vicinity stared at her loud declaration making the blonde simply growl at her sensei.

"This is not over **sensei**." Kakashi simply chuckled, not threatened by his student at all.

"Hehe, sure thing Naruko."

"_Kakashi-sensei – 2, Naruko – still 0" _Kakashi would have stayed to tease his student a little longer but he had a curse mark to seal away. Naruko watched as Kakashi led Sasuke off the arena floor.

"_Sasuke you asshole you better be okay, otherwise you'll have to deal with me."_ Naruko smiled as she watched the Uchiha limp away.

Shino was next in line ready to fight one of the Sound village ninjas and Naruko felt sorry for the Sound ninja, if there was one person in her age group Naruko could consider a true "badass" Shino had to be it, he the whole silent hitman thing going for him and while he didn't say much he didn't really need to.

"Actions speak louder than words hehehe."

"You say something Naruko?"

"Hmm? Oh nothing bubblegum, just Shino is gonna slaughter this guy."

Sakura looked surprised to see Naruko look…giddy about a fight.

"You think so?" Naruko smiled, her fangs gleaming in the arena's fluorescent lighting.

"I know so, Shino honestly scares me more than Kakashi-sensei, and not because of the whole he has bugs living in him thing but Shino is a true stone cold badass. He doesn't play around."

The sound of Zaku's scream as his arms both blew off echoed in the arena and Naruko smiled at Sakura.

"See? Told you Shino don't fuck around. Stone. Cold. Badass. Ha! Ha!" Sakura gave Naruko a weird look at how Naruko seemed so…reverent of the Aburame clan-heir's "badassery." Shino gave Naruko a nod of acknowledgement as he ascended the stairs and made his way back to his team.

Naruko and Sakura were surprised as Kakashi appeared behind them with a poof of smoke.

"Yo!"

"Kakashi-sensei! What do you mean by yo? How's Sasuke? Is he alright?" Kakashi waved his arms in front of him as if he were literally deflecting the questions.

"Hey hey, he's fine. Sleeping in a hospital bed."

"_With Anbu protection though…"_ He added as an afterthought.

The scoreboard lit up and the next two names came up:

**Tsurugi Misumi vs. Kankuro**

"Kankuro? Oh right! That's that asshole that tried to hurt Konohamaru!" Naruko leaned over a section of guardrail she didn't damage as she wanted to see what the makeup wearing ass was capable of.

She was disappointed when the leaf nin fighting him snapped his neck like it was nothing.

"_Well that sucks, so much for that…wait a second why is that bandaged thing moving?"_

Naruko went from disappointed to surprised to see the real Kankuro erupt from the bandages.

"Holy shit! Isn't 2 on 1 cheating Kakashi-sensei?"

"Nope, it's just a doll so it isn't any different from a kunai or any other ninja tool."

"Naruko that's puppet jutsu. It's controlling a doll and using it as a weapon with your chakra." Naruko's smile grew with each word Sakura said.

"That is…SO FUCKING COOL! Kakashi-sensei! Can you teach me that? Huh? Can you?" Kakashi smiled at how eager his student was to learn anything she could.

"_Just like her mother…_"

"Sorry Naruko, that's a Suna-only technique so unless you switch sides or marry a puppet user from Suna, you won't be learning it anytime soon."

"Damn! Always a catch! Hey bubblegum it's your turn!" Sakura looked confused until Kakashi pointed at the board. Indeed her name was up there along with another name she did not expect.

**Haruno Sakura vs. Yamanaka Ino**

Sakura readied herself and with a huff she began to make her way downstairs only to be stopped by her blonde teammate.

"Naruko?"

"Hey Sakura, I know I get on you and tease you a lot but I want you to know that I support you one-hundred and ten percent!" Sakura's eyes teared up at her teammates heartfelt statement.

"Thanks Naruko, I mean it, thank you." Naruko smiled her foxy grin.

"No problem! Now go kick her ass and show her who is the head bitch in charge!" Sakura smiled and with her head held high made her way down to the arena floor.

"_Yeah, I said I wasn't going to let Naruko take Sasuke-kun without a fight and I meant it! I'll show her who's the head bitch in charge!"_

Ino seemed conflicted as she stared at her pink haired opponent.

"Sakura…never thought I'd be facing you." Ino looked surprised as Sakura took off her hitai-ite without a word and tied it around her forehead. Ino smiled as Sakura said everything she needed to say without a single word being passed between them. Ino tied her hitai-ite around her forehead and both assumed a taijutsu stance.

"YOU CAN DO IT SAKURA! KICK HER ASS!" Naruko shouted from the top floor nearly falling over and making Kakashi have to prevent his rambunctious student from falling. Sakura smiled and took off creating a few Bunshin, all the while her mind thinking about her blonde teammate.

"_If I'm gonna be the head bitch in charge then I gotta fight like her don't I?"_

Before Ino could react Sakura had grabbed her waist and lifted her up in the air though Sakura could feel her legs shaking from Ino's weight.

"Hey Ino, remember this?" Ino's eyes and the eyes of all the other rookies widened as they all remembered the infamous body slam Naruko had put Ino through. Naruko had a wide grin as Ino and Sakura's bodies came crashing down, Ino's head hitting the ground followed by Sakura's body.

"You want me to take you seriously Ino, then start getting serious!" Ino shakily stood up, she was not expecting Sakura to fight like her blonde teammate and shook the head damage off. Both blonde and pinkette grappled with each other for a moment before leaping away and initiating a charge that ended with both punching each other in the face.

"You think Sasuke is gonna want you Sakura?" Ino hoped she could mess with Sakura's head but something seemed different with the pink haired girl, she seemed more confident. She'd have to resort to drastic measures…

Sakura was surprised to see Ino cut off her well maintained hair though she didn't outwardly show it. She merely smirked and got into a taijutsu position she had seen Naruko use once. Of course she didn't have her teammates freakish strength but she could make something work. She nearly laughed aloud as she saw Ino prepare her shinten-shin no jutsu but she was less prepared for Ino to use her hair as a rope to restrain her and then hit her with the actual shinten-shin.

"Heh, too bad Sakura." Ino was now in full control, this was too easy.

Most waited with baited breath to see what would happen next.

"I…Haruno Sakura…would like to for-"

"DON'T SAKURA!"

"_Geez, she's so annoying."_ Ino thought as she watched as Naruko screamed for her teammate.

"YOU'VE COME THIS FAR GODDAMNIT! IF YOU LOSE TO HER YOU'RE NOT A REAL WOMAN! I WILL STRIP YOU OF YOUR TITLE OF SECOND HEAD BITCH IN CHARGE!"

"_Heh, it's usele—What? What's going on?"_

Ino before she could do anything was forced out of Sakura's mind by a large black and white version of Sakura.

"Two…Two minds. What are you?"

"Oh don't you know? I'm the head bitch in charge." Both charged at each other and threw themselves into one last punch sending both flying. The proctor called the match a draw despite Naruko's curse filled claims that Sakura still had some fight in her and that was a diseased assbag...among other things.

The fifth match was set, with much whooping and hollering from both Lee and Naruko Ten-ten descended the stairs shaking her head at the two's antics and wondering where Naruko had the time to build a "KICK HER ASS TEN-TEN!" sign for both Lee and herself.

Sakura awoke feeling two things: one - sore all over her body, and two - a prescence next to her.

"So…you're finally awake, Sakura."

Sakura could see Lee, Gai-sensei, and Naruko creating a ruckus and waving signs around.

"Our match is already over…"

"I…lost?" Ino snorted.

"Ha! I'm the one who wants to cry, to tie with the likes of you." Ino handed Sakura her hitai-ite and smiled.

"You did make it bloom…a beautiful flower."

"Ino…"

"Plus next time I intend to kick your ass, I have no intention of handing Sasuke over to you or Naruko."

"…So you noticed too?" Ino's smile faltered.

"That Sasuke and Naruko seem a lot closer lately? Yeah, who would've thought those two huh?"

"Yeah…though I can see what he sees in her sometimes." Sakura shot Ino a confused look as her blonde rival extended her hand out.

"So should we put aside our rivalry and be rivals against Naruko?" Sakura smiled.

"The funny thing is…Naruko lays claims on Sasuke without even trying. She doesn't even realize how much he cares for her, or how much she cares for him." Sakura looked at her blonde teammate being held back by Gai-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Lee, and Neji all the while screaming imaginative obscenities. Most likely her adopted sister figure Ten-ten had lost her match and Naruko was out for blood. Somehow despite two jonin and two taijutsu experts holding her down Naruko was able to escape and leap down to retrieve her older sister figure, but not before slowly walking up to the Sand-nin Temari and whispering something in her ear that made the Suna-nin pale with fear and Gaara smile slightly at seeing Naruko's eyes flash red.

"_Uzumaki Naruko, you make my blood boil, I cannot wait to face you."_ Gaara watched as Temari slowly made her way back to them, her face still pale and her eyes wide with fright. Whatever the blonde leaf-nin had said to her had terrified her. Seeing his normally fearless sister pale with fear made Gaara interested in the blonde leaf nin even more.

"_What is it about you that makes me drawn to you Uzumaki? What is it about you that makes my bijuu rage and this unknown feeling infest my being? I must find out."_

Naruko brought Ten-ten back to her teammates and wiped her onee-chan's lip clean of blood. She stared at the bun haired girls bruises and wounds, committing them all to memory, completely ignoring Shikamaru's fight with the Oto-nin Kin. While Shikamaru was dodging needles and trying to get his shadow techniques to connect Naruko was focused on the past, namely the day she met Ten-ten.

_**Flashback**_

_Naruko was once again sitting on the swing outside the academy building, watching bitterly as everyone was leaving and joking with friends while she once again was alone._

_"Hey, you know a swing works more if you actually **swing** right?" Naruko turned around and saw that panda bun girl that had the highest score in shuriken throwing. She smiled and Naruko and walked over to her, putting Naruko on edge. Most people in class that approached Naruko did so to make fun of her…at least they did until Naruko's freakish strength sent them to the hospital._

_"Yeah well I'm not in the mood for swinging really, never really have been." She hoped being mean would help the bun haired girl take a hint that she wasn't going to fall for any stupid tricks or anything._

_"Well why's that? My name's Ten-ten by the way." She leaned against the tree and looked at the blonde haired girl. Unlike most of the class, she found the blonde's disregard for the rules and the consequences of not following said rules fun. But she noticed that no one hung around with her…ever._

_"Well not like it's any of **your** business but I've never got to enjoy it really. Not like I had parents to push me…or friends."_

_"Well…what if I became your friend and pushed you on the swing? How's that sound?" Naruko's head whipped around so fast Ten-ten thought it would pop off._

_"If this is some kind of joke it's not funny!" Naruko bared her fangs at the bun haired girl, someone else had done this trick to her before, he was currently nursing a broken arm and bruised testicles._

_"It's not a joke, you seem like a cool girl to hang with and I'd like to get to know you better. Look we'll start this formally okay?" Ten-ten straightened herself out and stuck her hand out towards the blonde._

_"My name is Ten-ten and I'd like to be your friend. Would you like to accept my offer of friendship?" Ten-ten really hoped the blonde accepted, she herself didn't have many friends besides that Rock Lee kid and she desperately wanted a female friend, Lee was nice and all but she needed a female to hang with._

_Naruko eyed her hand like she was expecting it to shock her or something but after a few seconds she cautiously extended her hand and shook Ten-ten's._

_"Fine, I accept, my name is Uzumaki Naruko." Ten-ten smiled._

_"Cool, would you like me to push you Naruko?" Naruko still looked cautious but nodded and at first was expecting Ten-ten to betray her like that boy did but all she felt was her hands on her back pushing her up in the air and then pushing her when she came back._

_From that day forward, Naruko and Ten-ten were best of friends._

_**End Flashback**_

"_I swear onee-chan, I will pay that bitch back tenfold for you. You can count on that._"

"Hey Naruko-chan?" Naruko looked up and smiled at seeing Lee look at her worriedly. Ever since she met him he was always there for her.

"What up Lee-kun?"

"Naruko-chan, you're up next! You're facing the youthful Kiba!" Naruko's good mood deflated at hearing that.

She'd rather face Zabuza again then deal with Kiba.

"This is out lucky break huh Akumaru? We can definitely kick this bitch's ass." While Kiba leaped over the railing to wait, everyone else has stopped breathing as the temperature around Naruko dropped. Kiba had broken Konoha's number one rule. Naruko slowly stood up and jabbed her fist at the wall causing a large web of cracks to stretch from the point of impact. Both Lee and Ino gulped knowing of Naruko's fierce temper.

"Hey Naruko hurry up bitch! I wanna get this match started already!"

Naruko without removing her fist from the wall turned it and pulled it out causing the cracks to widen. Kakashi looked at this surprised.

"_As pissed as Naruko is she should have pretty much annihilated that wall. Either she's low on chakra or something is disrupting her chakra flow."_

Naruko slowly made her way down to the arena floor, her steps making small impressions in the stone floor. Shino looked at his sensei and tapped her arm.

"Kurenai-sensei, I suggest you inform Kiba's next of kin of his untimely death. Why? Because Naruko is going to kill him."

"Why would she kill him?"

"K-Kiba-kun called N-Naruko-chan the B word…twice." Hinata knew that when that word was uttered there was no staying Naruko's wrath.

"Kurenai-sensei you remember the incident Naruko had with Ino back in the academy?" Kurenai nodded, everyone had heard of that.

"Well Naruko put Ino in the hospital and Naruko actually has no problems with Ino, Kiba on the other hand Naruko does not like at all. Now if she put Ino who she doesn't hate in the hospital just for calling her the B word once, what do you think will happen to Kiba, someone she does not like and has called her the B word not once…but twice? Think about it." Kurenai's face went pale as the realization hit her, if Kiba didn't win, or if Naruko didn't reign in her emotions Kurenai would be down a student by the end of this day. She quickly made her way over to Kakashi who was chatting with Gai.

"Kakashi, you need to reign in Naruko or else she's going to kill Kiba!" Kakashi looked at the genjutsu mistress like she was insane, along with Gai, Lee, and Sakura.

"Oh no, no, no, no, I am **NOT** getting in between **THAT**." He pointed at Naruko who now actually had small wisps of chakra swirling around her as she stood across from Kiba. The proctor himself looked scared of the blonde whose eyes seemed to flash red so fast most did not even notice it, Kakashi did though, and so did the Hokage.

"If she goes too far (_and she usually does_) then I will step in and stop her. But I will say this Kurenai, Kiba dug his own grave by calling Naruko that word, if he survives this then he's gonna have to learn to control his mouth around her."

"The seventh match! Uzumaki Naruko vs. Inuzuka Kiba! Begi—"

Naruko before anyone could see rocketed across the small distance and sent Kiba flying into the wall though Kakashi noticed Kiba was still alive meaning Naruko's chakra control was off…or she really was reigning herself in.

He prayed it was the second one.

Kiba could only groan as he pulled himself off the wall, his nin-dog Akumaru rushing over to see if he was alright.

"I'm fine Akamaru, damn she can hit hard, looks like we'll have to go all out from the get-go huh Aku-SHIT!" Kiba grabbed Akumaru and dodged just as Naruko came crashing down in the spot he was just in, her eyes were just like that Sand kid's from the forest, emotion-less yet filled with a bloodlust that needed to be sated. He could swear Naruko's eyes were red for just a split second but shook it off as adrenaline messing with him.

Gaara could only watch with small glee as the blonde leapt after her opponent, creating craters in the arena floor, her eyes having a look in them that made his blood boil. Gaara could only watch enraptured by the blonde's movements as she barely gave her opponent a chance to fight back, his hands were gripping the guardrail tightly which did not go unnoticed by his siblings or his sensei.

"_Gaara's getting excited, is it the blonde that's doing it to him?"_ Baki only hoped Gaara controlled himself for a little while longer, no need to ruin things ahead of time…

Kiba had just enough time to activate his quadruped jutsu and was able to send Naruko flying with a well-placed knee to the stomach. The crowd was silent as Naruko lay there unmoving for a few seconds.

"She won't be opening her eyes for a while referee." But Kiba was forced to eat his words as Naruko began to move. Slowly she picked herself up, breathing heavily before she grabbed her shoulders. Kakashi's eyes widened at seeing this.

"_I thought she said the curse seal wasn't affecting her?"_ Kiba knew he had to knock Naruko out before she could gain momentum again. He immediately had Akumaru transform into a copy of himself before they both charged towards her preparing to finish her with a single move.

"Ready Akumaru? Gatsuuga!" As Kiba and Akumaru charged forward, their bodies spinning like drills all the spectators watched as Naruko did nothing but clutch her shoulder, her form unmoving.

"_Come on Naruko do something!"_ Sakura yelled in her head.

"_Naruko-chan don't give up!"_ Lee almost refused to watch his friend be hit by the Inuzuka technique.

"_Is this all you have to show me Uzumaki Naruko?"_ Gaara was beginning to get disappointed in the blonde until something extraordinary happened that shocked everyone there.

As Kiba and Akumaru continued their charge Naruko let out an earth shattering roar, her eyes ablaze with a baleful red light as several spiked chains tore from her back into the walls and floor of the arena and erupted from multiple spots, crisscrossing over and over until Kiba and Akumaru both could not move. The hokage looked like he was about to have a heart attack while Kakashi looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"_That's the…it can't be!"_ Both thought as Naruko stood up, the chains releasing Kiba and Akumaru and retracting slowly back into her as she smiled at Kiba, her lengthened fangs gleaming.

"Hey Kiba…my turn."

**And end of chapter 10, man good to write again, 10 pages for you all, need to finish Naruko and Kiba's fight, do Rock Lee's epic fight with Gaara then finish the Sand-Sound Invasion and continue with the rest of the story. Gotta say listening to Guile's Theme from Street Fighter while writing this does help lol. Anyway enjoy everyone!**


	11. Kibas Reckoning and Rock vs Sand!

**Don't own Naruto, we've been through this before. Very sorry about my latest disappearance, I'm working on deploying possibly and that has taken up majority of my time but rest assured nothing is abandoned. In fact my wife has been threatening me to finish this story as she is trying to draw an accompanying doujin.**

**Last Time on CSI Miami…**

As Kiba and Akumaru continued their charge Naruko let out an earth shattering roar, her eyes ablaze with a baleful red light as several spiked chains tore from her back into the walls and floor of the arena and erupted from multiple spots, crisscrossing over and over until Kiba and Akumaru both could not move. The hokage looked like he was about to have a heart attack while Kakashi looked like he had just seen a ghost.

"_That's the…it can't be!"_ Both thought as Naruko stood up, the chains releasing Kiba and Akumaru and retracting slowly back into her as she smiled at Kiba, her lengthened fangs gleaming.

"Hey Kiba…my turn."

**Now back to the show!**

Kiba was honestly scared at seeing what Naruko just did, but shook off his fear and charged her along with Akumaru, both pushing chakra to their feet in an attempt to knock her out before she could react. Naruko watched as Kiba went to flank her right side while Akumaru went left.

Too bad for the Inuzuka duo they forgot her chakra chains hadn't fully retracted into her body yet...

Almost too fast for the audience and her opponent to keep up, two chains from her back lengthened enough for her to grab them and swing, the barbed chains seemed to grow before everyones eyes as Kiba and Akumaru dodged just in time to avoid the spiked tips. Kiba created several bunshin to try and distract her which seemed to work as he speared her midsection, only to realize the Naruko he tackled was a shadow clone. The real Naruko was leaping above Kiba, the two chakra chains wrapped around her fists as impromptu gauntlets. Kiba twisted his body just as Naruko came crashing down only to have her chain gauntlet graze him, though the ribs on his left side were probably cracked, though the pain that exploded in his body when he landed told him otherwise.

"Bark! Bark Bark!" Akumaru was worried about his partner, he could tell his partner already needed medical attention after that slight blow, he probably wouldn't survive a direct hit. He had to convince him to give up.

"No Akumaru, I'm not giving up. If you want to, that's fine. I'd rather you give up than get hurt or worse. I'm gonna try and win this." Kiba could tell just from the black spots in his vision that he should give up but his pride as both a male and an Inuzuka would rather have him go down fighting. As swiftly as he could he pulled out another soldier pill and popped it in his mouth feeling the pain in his side lessen slightly.

Naruko could see Kiba was barely standing after she grazed his side, why he insisted on fighting she had no idea, probably something about the male ego, but whatever she had her fun with him, time to knock him out and move on to the next fight. She shrugged the chains off of her hands and retracted them into her body which felt surprisingly good.

_'I could get used to that feeling.'_ Naruko cracked her neck and charged at Kiba, she would finish this fight and show this dog his place. Kiba though enhanced by the soldier pill was still suffering from possible broken ribs and was too slow to counter Naruko's charge as she slid under his guard and with an upward kick to his jaw sent him skyward which she quickly followed with a leap that left a small crater. Kiba was barely aware of anything else but the sharp pain in his side and now his jaw as he floated for a moment in mid air. A voice from behind him caught his attention.

"Hey Kiba" Naruko grabbed hold of Kiba's legs and wrapped her legs around his torso to prevent him from using his hands.

"Whose the bitch now?" Naruko's added body-weight made them come crashing down towards the arena floor and with a sickening crack Kiba hit the floor. Immediately the medic staff rushed over, not even bothering to see if Kiba was going to stand or not, they were just going to be happy if the boy lived. Naruko knew she won and she was inwardly glad when she heard the medics say he was alive, she didn't want to kill Kiba, contrary to popular belief. But she'll be damned if that ass whooping made him think twice about calling her a bitch from now on.

Most of the assembled shinobi were stunned not only at Naruko's brutality but the fact that most of the arena floor had craters in it of varying sizes, even the hokage who was used to this sort of thing from Gai and his students was taken aback by the destruction. He was half tempted to just let the remaining shinobi go to the finals but knew that most would argue about having their chance to prove themselves.

"Well then, shall we see who the next fighters are?" The jonin up on stage with him shook off their slight shock at the display of the village jinchuriki's power and chuckled at how silly most of them probably looked.

The names on the board started their roulette spin and most were eager to see who was next.

_'If it lands on my name then Sakura-chan will fall in love with me, if it doesn't land on my name then Naruko-chan will think I'm a loser.' _Lee watched with rapt attention as the names kept changing and changing, he was biting his lower lip and moving his feet like a child being told to wait to open christmas presents. Naruko chuckled at her friends behavior, she knew he was eager to prove himself after seeing her performance.

_'Lee's a nice guy, if he would calm down a bit, he might be dateable...and it wouldn't hurt if he looked a little less like Gai-sensei. He's cool and all but his sense of fashion is...ugh'_ Naruko shuddered and had to hold in a laugh as Lee was leaning over the railing, his eyes promising death to the name roulette machine if it didn't stop spinning anytime soon.

The hokage watched as the roulette machine kept spinning...and spinning...and spinning...and spinning before he cleared his throat to get someone's attention.

"Yes Hokage-sama?" The aged hokage merely smiled at Anko.

"Anko-chan, do you mind stopping the name roulette? Most of the shinobi are getting very antsy." He could tell by her eyes widening she forgot about the machine.

"Oh! Right, sorry Hokage-sama!" Anko pressed the button and the names began to slow down until the two fighters were finally selected.

**Rock Lee vs. Sabaku no Gaara**

At that moment Naruko's heart sank.


End file.
